Complications & Connections
by bugggghead
Summary: A fake dating/roommates AU Jughead & Betty never dated, the core four moved to New York for college and still live there at 24. Betty and Jughead wind up roommates and decide to pretend they're dating to keep Archie and Veronica off their back about dates for their impending nuptials. What could go wrong?
1. A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad

At 24 years old, Jughead Jones was objectively successful. He was gainfully employed as a writer at a small online magazine, one of few people in his generation putting his degree to use. It wasn't exactly his dream job, but it was as good a place as any to start, he supposed. He had a small group of friends he had known for most of his life, and he was objectively happy, one would say. In the – I can pay my rent this month and still afford a trip to the coffee shop daily – kind of way.

Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones had known each other their entire lives, a privilege afforded by their parents. Jughead and Archie's dads, FP and Fred, had been friends since their high school days, so when both of their wives became pregnant around the same time, it was a no brainer. As the boys grew up together, often times they shared birthday parties and combined family outings. Over the years it changed from Archie joining Jughead's family sometimes to Jughead joining Archie's family all the time. Few people find the kind of kinship Archie and Jughead shared, and they knew they were lucky for it. Growing up together made them feel more like brothers than friends, and they often referred to each other as such.

The second one of Jughead's friends was Archie's newly-minted fiancée, Veronica Lodge. Veronica moved to their hometown of Riverdale their sophomore year of high school. Archie, in an instant, declared his player-like ways null and void upon the raven-haired princess' arrival. After tip toeing around their feelings for a few months, they finally connected and have been inseparable ever since. That was almost 8 years ago, and now they were still as sickeningly sweet together as they had been when they first started dating. Veronica and Jughead hadn't always seen eye to eye and bumped heads for the first year of their shaky friendship, but the genuine connection he sensed between her and his best friend, eventually won him over. He now knew Veronica to be one of the most fiercely loyal people he had ever met and was grateful to be a friend rather than a foe to a Lodge.

Last, but definitely not least in their friend group was Betty Cooper. Betty, Archie, and Jughead were inseparable in their younger years. She was Archie's neighbor and nursed an obvious-to-everyone-except-Archie crush on their ginger haired friend for most of their lives. Jughead was relegated to the sidelines and watched time after time as Betty pined after their oblivious friend. Too many times he saw Archie ask Betty to a dance, as a backup of course, only to bail at the last minute because his newest crush decided to reciprocate his feelings. When Veronica moved to Riverdale, Jughead was confused when her and Betty wound up becoming fast friends. Betty was friends with Veronica long before Jughead, he held his grudge on Betty's behalf well past the time she decided to wave the white flag. It wasn't until Betty started dating her first boyfriend, Adam what's-his-name, that Jughead decided Veronica's freeze out was no longer warranted.

This brings Jughead to his current predicament, Veronica and Archie had achieved a new level of sickeningly sweet as a result of their recent engagement. Veronica, unsurprisingly, seemed to be floating around in a love-fueled haze. Now that she and Archie had moved to the next level of their relationship, she felt the need to push her friends to find the same happiness. Veronica had been pestering Jughead about setting up an online dating profile for months. She had suggested Tinder, Plenty of Fish, eHarmony, and in a moment of extreme sarcasm, . Jughead had been dodging the topic for a while, but she now had him cornered in his apartment while Archie was packing up his belongings in the other room. Archie and Veronica were finallymoving in together, thanks to said engagement, and the friends had already decided they would essentially be switching roommates.

One of the perks of being Veronica Lodge's boyfriend's best friend, was the apartment he currently lived in. Her parents were wealthy; not your typical upper class, private school wealth, but disgusting, generations worth of accumulation, type of wealth.

They owned the building the friends were living in and Veronica was gifted the penthouse level at the start of their college years. Two identical two-bedroom apartments took up the entire top floor. This arrangement allowed Veronica and Archie easy access to each other, while still upholding her parents' version of how courtship should go. Everyone was surprised Hiram and Hermione Lodge were even letting Archie and Veronica move in together while merely engaged, not yet married; but no one second guessed it for fear of making waves with the raven-haired spitfire.

Thus, Jughead found himself in his apartment, previously shared with Archie, soon to be shared with Betty Cooper herself, cornered by Veronica while she tried to snap a 'flattering' photo of the beanie-wearing boy.

"Look at the camera like it's a hamburger", knowing his weakness for all things food, Veronica was intent on setting him up a profile herself. All she needed now was a photo of him. "Double cheese, pickles, mayonnaise…" She droned on about toppings hoping to catch a good angle but Jughead's hands came up to cover his face, the blush on his cheeks growing with each additional topping named.

"Stop it Veronica!" he groaned while trying to inch his fingers up to pull the crown shaped beanie over his eyes, simultaneously hiding his face. "I'm not going to do this." His fingers finally reach the knitted cap and pull it down to act as a shield.

"Fine… but Forsythe" she said cunningly, to convey the severity of her next statement, "You had better have a girlfriend to bring as a date to my wedding, because I will not have the best man attending stag or with some last-minute stand in."

He heard a huff of annoyance and felt the weight of his phone drop into his lap. Hearing the click clack of her, no doubt Louboutin, heels down the hall, he fell back on his bed and let out of a sigh of frustration. The wedding was only three months away, which was very short notice considering Jughead's limited dating history. The probability of him actually meeting someone new worth dating in the next three months… well that was looking near impossible.

Due to their long courtship, Jughead was convinced Veronica had planned the entire wedding by their five-year anniversary and was (not so) patiently waiting for Archie's proposal. She had everything picked out before Archie had decided on a ring and needed only a few phone calls to kick off the process of bringing her dream to life.

Jughead awoke a few hours later to a silence that was absent before his impromptu nap. Deciding to brave the possibility of Veronica trying to set him up for a second time that day, he got up and tip toed to the door. Glancing out in the hall, Jughead noticed Archie's haphazardly packed boxes and hampers full of random objects had all been moved. In their place sat about a dozen boxes, all the same size, all with perfectly penned labels indicating which room they belonged in.

"Hey Jug, sorry if I woke you." Betty was in the apartment she now called home unpacking the boxes labeled 'Kitchen'. He couldn't make out the smaller print underneath it, but guessed it listed the exact contents of the box – knowing Betty's type A tendencies.

"No, my phone went off with an email from my editor, I didn't even know you were in here." He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit he never had been able to shake, and moved into the kitchen to assist her.

Betty was clad only in pink fuzzy pajama pants and a lighter shade pink ribbed tank top. Her trademark ponytail barely intact after a day of moving everything she owned from one apartment to another. She was sitting with her legs crossed on the kitchen floor, elbow deep in a box, so Jughead decided to join her. Reaching into the same box, he began unpacking the small appliances and they fell into easy conversation.

Jughead and Betty hadn't started out exactly as best friends. Their mutual friend Archie was the crux to their triad in the beginning, and it wasn't until they entered high school that they connected one on one. They were both on the school's newspaper staff and had most of their AP classes together. They seemed to always be around each other for one reason or another, and found themselves thrown together alone from time to time. Some of those times, Jughead would let his teenage mind run to places he realistically knew it shouldn't be. Betty was always beautiful, that was just a fact to Jughead, just like one plus one equals two, and grass is green – Betty was beautiful. Her golden blonde hair and emerald eyes were the picture of perfection to anyone with eyes, Jughead would think.

She was his first crush, and when he noticed her affections for Archie, he developed methods to deal with it. Being just friends with Betty was better than not being friends with her at all, in his mind. But over the years, she had dated off and on and so had he. They never seemed to be single concurrently for more than a month or two at a time, and Jughead had been holding his crush on her close to the breast for so long, it was second nature to shelve his feelings.

That is, until Veronica and Archie got engaged. Betty and her last boyfriend broke up over two months prior to the proposal and Jughead hadn't had a girlfriend in nearly two years. Things only got more complicated when the apartment switch idea was proposed to them both over a far-too-expensive dinner with a ridiculously priced bottle of champagne. Neither one wanting to dampen their best friends' dreams, Jughead and Betty agreed to share Jughead and Archie's apartment, while Archie would move his stuff into what was previously the girls' apartment.

One complication after another landed Jughead in the predicament of being hopelessly in love with his best friend who happened to now be sleeping about twenty feet away from him. Seeing her in her pajamas only exasperated his frustrations and he knew his next plan was probably a bad idea, but proceeded with it anyway despite all the warning signs.

"All Veronica talks about anymore is the wedding" Jughead scoffed while moving onto the last box in the kitchen. "She basically gave me a direct order to have a girlfriend by the time they get married because I'm not allowed to attend stag." The words left his mouth as his brain was screaming at him to stop. He knew this was a bad idea, but there was no going back now. He tilted his head up slightly to catch her reaction and was pleasantly surprised she wasn't obviously appalled.

Betty looked up with a lopsided smile, and Jughead was entranced, "I know what you mean. She's been on me too. 'My maid of honor can't be single at the wedding! That is unacceptable!'" Betty mocked, with a certain emphasis on the last word.

They both laughed and Jughead decided to dive in head first, "Why don't we just let them think we're dating. It would seem natural, move in together, develop feelings for each other, yada yada yada." Jughead tried to sound casual but his heart was thumping against his chest faster than it ever had. He could hear his pulse in his eardrums as he waited for her response.

"Yeah, why not. We could both dodge a bullet" she easily replied, but wouldn't meet his eyes. He could see the faintest hint of pink on her cheeks and decided she must just be warm from moving around so much… there's no way she was blushing because of him—right?

All at once, he felt the air leave his lungs as he tried to regain his composure. "Good", he said.

"Good" she echoed. He couldn't think of anything else to say and sat in silence for a minute.

When would they start their charade? Who should they tell first, Archie or Veronica? Would they believe it? Just then, his mind wandered a bit farther and his high school self emerged the tiniest bit. Would he get to hold her hand? Would he get to kiss her? Would it only be in public?

Breaking him from his thoughts, Jughead heard Betty clear her throat and he felt the need to fill the silence. "So, when should we tell them?" Jughead threw out jokingly, not fully expecting her response.

"Probably in a week or two, maybe we just casually cuddle on the couch and leave the door unlocked for them to walk in on." She sounded like she had thought this through in the same span he was questioning the entire arrangement, and he quirked an eyebrow at her response.

"Good", he said once more and immediately felt embarrassed by his suddenly handicapped vocabulary.

"Good." She echoed once more with the smallest smile tugging across her perfectly plump lips. Jughead couldn't break his gaze from her lips and he found his thoughts wandering into dangerous territory once more.

Jughead realized this was going to be far more difficult than he thought.


	2. Close Encounters

**Wedding Countdown: 8 weeks**

It had been one month since the night in the kitchen and Betty and Jughead were settling into an easy rhythm as roommates. Betty, as a roommate, was a step up from Archie in almost every way. She picked up her own clothes rather than letting them pile up in random places, she cleaned the kitchen every time she used it— which was nearly every day—and she didn't complain when Jughead indulged in classic films. She even put her two cents in on quite a few of them and they engaged in lengthy discussions of the character's actions and motivations. Overall, it had been pleasant having Betty around. Easy, not so much, but pleasant… definitely.

Jughead wandered into the kitchen earlier than normal and was taken aback by the sight in front of him. Betty stood there in her pajamas, clearly just getting up as well. Her hair was slightly tousled from sleep and her pajamas mussed from being pressed against the sheets all night. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the adorable way her nose was scrunching up when she yawned, anxiously waiting for the coffee to brew. He cleared his throat to announce his presence and was rewarded with a wide grin from the green-eyed girl in return as she turned to meet his eyes.

"Morning Juggy", she sounded far too perky for the early hour and if it was anyone other than Betty Cooper, he might have been annoyed by her demeanor. "I don't think I've ever seen you voluntarily get up this early."

"Shh... don't tell anyone. It might ruin my image." His lips tugged up into a smile as he winked at her as her grin grew wider in response, if that was even possible. She laughed in return and he decided to keep it going, "Do you see these bags, Betts? No one would believe you anyway", he chided. She laughed once more in return and he found himself thinking, as he had been all too often lately, how absolutely beautiful she was in that moment.

"Really though, Archie asked me to go to our tux fitting today for the wedding, and I figured I should at least be half conscious while they're poking me with pins." He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stretched his arms above his head as he let out a long exhale. He knew his shirt had ridden up the slightest bit, but was certain that when he opened his eyes for a split second, mid yawn, he had caught her looking at him. When he looked back down a second time, Betty quickly spun around and made herself busy filling a coffee mug for each of them. If he didn't know better, he might have thought he saw a slight blush rise up on her cheeks – but that would be ridiculous, wouldn't it? There's no way. He shakes the thought from his head and observes her ritual.

She knew he took his coffee black and he watched in amusement as she seemed intent on getting the perfect sugar to coffee to creamer ratio in her own mug. When she was finished, Jughead grabbed his mug and strolled out onto the patio to smoke a cigarette. He needed to mentally prepare himself for the shit show that was sure to be the looming fitting. While he was the best man, the rest of the groomsmen were Archie's old high school football buddies or his hipster music friends from college. Jughead never did have the patience to deal with any of Archie's other friends and found that his tolerance lasted best in small doses. Today, he thought, was not going to be a small dose.

After a full day of being poked and prodded until the tux had been deemed 'just right', Jughead arrived back at the apartment. Grateful for the reprieve from Archie's friends, he decided to pick up Chinese on his way home and hopefully talk Betty into spending the evening on the couch with him.

He had been thinking about the coming evening since their brief encounter in the kitchen that morning. Feeling emboldened by her gaze and the subsequent blush he swears he saw across her face after his stretch, he decided to bring up the topic once more of entering into a 'relationship' with her before the wedding. Veronica had been merciful the past month and hadn't broached the topic with either of them again. Not yet, at least. Jughead knew it wouldn't be long before she circled back around to it.

He remembered Betty's offhand comment of cuddling on the couch in a week or two and couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed they were more than twice past the longer suggestion and they hadn't even talked about it again. Maybe she changed her mind? Maybe she had met someone to take as her date in the last few weeks and decided her back up idea, of going with him, wasn't appealing anymore. He ruminated on all of the reasons she may not have brought it back up on the walk home. Self-deprecation was his specialty, after all, if he did say so himself.

He arrived home and doled out the food. They settled on the ground in front of the coffee table and decided to start Game of Thrones over again. Jug, himself citing it was a tragedy they had never watched it together, insisting his commentary added value to the show.

Once the majority of the take out had been demolished, Jughead picked up the containers and took them to the kitchen. He decided to get comfortable and changed into a pair of plaid pajama bottoms, just a little bit looser than his others, and a simple white tank top. This wasn't his typical attire around the house, but he wanted to test his earlier theory. While it may seem absolutely ridiculous, he couldn't help but feel the slightest bit hopeful he might just catch her watching him again. At least he'd know if he was going crazy or not by the end of the night.

Looking over himself once more in the mirror, he opened his door and walked out. He was too preoccupied tying the string on his pants with just the right amount of tension for them to hang a little bit lower than normal, that he didn't see Betty in the hallway and they collided. His arm instinctively went around her waist as her hands came up to grip his biceps, attempting to steady herself in the process. The same biceps, he noticed, that her eyes seemed glued to at that very moment. Fighting back a smile and absorbing the feeling of Betty in his arms, Jughead held on longer than anyone would call appropriate. He only released her once he realized it was about half a second away from becoming painfully awkward.

Breaking apart, Jughead made a mental note that the change of clothing was a good choice, and they resumed their perches on the couch. An episode played in the background, but all Jughead could focus on was Betty. Did she sit just a little bit closer the last time she got up and came back? Did she notice her sleep shorts rode up the smallest bit when she shifted to get the remote? Of course not, Jughead thinks. They had been friends their whole life, and had been close their entire adult lives. They touched frequently in a platonic way, declared each other their best friends, and lived together for God's sakes… that would be ridiculous—right?

After their encounter in the hall, Jughead had put his plan to bring up the arrangement on hold. Deciding now was as good a time as any, he shifted toward her the slightest bit and took a deep breath.

"Betts, I know we've gotten lucky that Veronica has been having a meltdown over the flowers the last month," which was true, Veronica had not counted on a winter wedding and the singular flower she wanted to adorn every surface of the venue was not in season. For someone who planned their wedding down to the last detail for years, Veronica went into a tailspin. "But you know she's going to try setting one of us up again soon. Do you think we should talk about putting our plan into action?" He attempted to sound casual but truthfully, it took everything in him to utter that sentence while she sat there with her eyes fixed on his.

"Sure, you know she has been around less the last month, constantly doing things for the wedding. So, she knows we've been around each other more than ever. I mean it might be a little soon, I definitely want them to believe it. So, we'll have to figure out an exact time frame to ensure our stories match with –" he could tell she was getting a little anxious and couldn't place if it was because she wanted this to be believable or something else. Never the less, he reached out and placed his arm around her shoulders, squeezing lightly to refocus her attention.

He cut her off midsentence, "Hey… It's okay. One, you're right, we have been spending more time together, and two I'll just tell them I've always liked you and you have had a temporary lack of sanity that happened to work out in my favor."

Betty linked her hands together and laughed out loud. He always did seem to be able to center her when she started to get anxious. Betty had a long history with anxiety and Jughead had bore witness to more attacks than he could remember. With her busy schedule and near constant state of overworked exhaustion, they were bound to happen from time to time.

"Jug, I want it to be believable," she said almost sheepishly, tilting her head down. Oh, you have no idea how believable that is Betts, he thinks.

"Okay fine, how about we got drunk a few weeks ago and I kissed you. It was new and we didn't want to put any pressure on it, so we decided to just keep it between us for a little bit. Is that better?" He tilted his head down to look into her eyes as he suggested a more plausible option in her mind.

Reaching up to cover his hand on her shoulder with her own, Betty looked at him and smiled. "That sounds perfect, Jug. Much more believable than you've been pining after me since we were in diapers."

They both chucked at the idea, for two totally different reasons, unbeknownst to either party.

"So, are we still going with the couch idea? Because we could start that any day, right?" He tried not to sound excited at the suggestion but was pleasantly surprised to find her nodding in agreement.

"Yeah." She felt the need to add, even after the visual acknowledgement of the nod. "In fact, they wanted to drop by later so Veronica could show me some of the flower options and see what I thought of them. Not that it matters, you know she'll go with what she wants anyway." A small smile tugged at her lips and she realized he hadn't moved his hand from her shoulder yet. Neither had she moved her hand from his.

Avoiding his gaze, Betty shifted a bit closer and Jughead once again felt emboldened.

"If they walked in right now, is this what you envisioned?" His voice was steadier than he had anticipated and he was breathing ever so slightly into her ear. His hot breath on her neck combined with his comment caught her off guard. She shifted just a bit closer and moved his arm all the way around her shoulders. Curling up into his side and resting her head on his shoulder she nodded. Knowing he could feel her response, she didn't feel the need to follow that question up with words.

Reveling in the feeling of Betty in her too short sleep shorts and thin top under his arm, he was not ready for her to move from his side when her phone went off about half an hour later. She leaned forward, breaking their embrace long enough to grab her phone and settled back into the couch a little further away, still tucked under his arm, but no longer pressed against his side. This new angle allowed him to see the notification and they both realized at the same time that Veronica and Archie were due at their door any minute.

"Did you lock the door when you got home?" she asks suddenly, eyes wide, clearly nervous.

"I don't actually know." He was trying to remember if he did when they heard a key in the door and their physical proximity became of paramount importance. They had both agreed to start their plan that night and their backstory was established. So why did he, all of the sudden, feel so out of place on his own couch with her under his arms. They were looking at each other with equal parts apprehension and excitement when they heard the door knob turn, and Jughead made a split-second decision.

Before she knew what was happening, she felt Jughead's hand cup her jaw. His thumb slid across her cheek for a mere second before his long fingers sunk into her golden tresses and his mouth was on hers. He pulled her face to his and she found her hands come up to his shoulders, squeezing lightly. It wasn't a long kiss, but it was a thorough kiss. They heard a small gasp and then the sound of clapping in a rapid succession. They broke apart and Betty looked over Jughead's shoulder at Veronica who was clapping her hands together so fast she looked like she might just be part hummingbird.

"Yayyyy, I always knew you two would wind up hooking up. Tell me EVERYTHING, Betty… let's go to your room. Leave the boys to their games." Veronica started walking toward the hall and Betty figured she should follow.

She was still dazed from the sudden kiss and looked back to Jughead to assess his reaction. She could tell he knew he affected her, and she might have thought she affected him just as much—if he hadn't winked at that exact time. She felt a blush begin to stain her cheeks and quickly decided to appease her friend and her incessant need to know every detail of everything—all the time. "Sure, V, let's go." She responded as she raised from the couch. Each inch she moved was further and further from where she wanted to be in that exact moment, and she found herself hoping Veronica and Archie wouldn't stay long.

Veronica asked Betty question after question, but to Betty's relief, seemed to believe the story they spun earlier. Veronica expressed her happiness for the whole situation and began obsessing over how great it was the maid of honor and best man were going to be together for the ceremony. She went on and on about all of the shared duties that would be easier if they were partners and Betty was so weddinged-out by the time she decided to say good night.

They all said their goodbyes at the door, and Jughead threw his arm around her shoulder once more while they watched the soon-to-be newlyweds escape into their own apartment. Shutting the door, Jughead dropped his arm and made his way to the kitchen.

"We don't have to talk about it." He blurted out, catching Betty off guard. "I just figured we might need some practice to be convincing and when better to be awkward about it than in the beginning?" He turned around and smiled at her, trying to be as convincing as possible.

"Okay." She replied meekly. "I'm going to bed, see you in the AM…. Maybe" she added that last bit as she thought of their encounter in the kitchen that morning. The way his shirt had ridden up stirred something inside of Betty.

They had been friends so long, she wasn't sure she had ever really considered them being anything more. There was a brief time in high school that she had gotten over Archie, unbeknownst to anyone, and had been harboring a crush on Jughead instead. But as time went on, and nothing progressed between them, she decided to move on and accepted the first of many dates with Adam. He hadn't lasted long but the events kicked off years and years of impossibilities. They never had been single at the same time, she realized, at least not for long… not until now.

She padded back to her room and shut the door, she thought back to his remark in the kitchen. Awkward… it hadn't felt awkward to her. Maybe he didn't feel what she did… Maybe she was just imagining it. However, when she sat back and thought of the way his lips moved on hers, the way his hand come up and cupped her jaw, the way his fingers stroked her cheek so gently. She had seen a hint of tenderness in his eyes after they pulled apart, just before he winked at her, while she was still facing away from their friends, a silent acknowledgement that it was all part of the plan…. She must be imagining it then – right?

Betty fell into a deep dream filled sleep that night. Dreams of crystal blue eyes and inky black hair filled her head as her subconscious played her a steady stream of scenarios involving her beanie wearing best friend, who just so happened to kiss her and she just so happened to like.


	3. Practice Makes Perfect

**Wedding Countdown: 7 weeks**

Betty awoke the following morning with compromising visions of her best friend still stuck in her head. She knew their plan was going to be implemented sooner or later, but hadn't expected the way his lips had felt on her own to stir something inside of her. Unable to shake the thoughts, she began to form an idea of sorts. She was still nervous that Veronica and Archie may wise up to their scheme before too long and decided that if last night was convincing enough, they needed to continue in the same way.

Awkward, she thought back to their talk the night before. The kiss had been anything but awkward for her and she thought she felt something on his end too. Deciding to revisit the predicament at a later point in time, she started her daily routine and left for work before Jughead was even awake.

It was surprisingly easy for Betty and Jughead to pseudo date. It had been a few days since the couch kiss and beyond that, nothing similar had happened since. Their daily routine remained largely the same for the remainder of the week. Jughead and Betty both spent their days working and their nights together on the couch—cuddling when Archie and Veronica were around and on their separate sides when they weren't—they had found an easy rhythm.

Veronica, Archie, Betty, and Jughead were planning on driving to Riverdale for the weekend to walk the venue. The wedding was a little less than two months away and it was set to take place in their hometown. The wedding planner would be meeting them all at the venue on Saturday and Veronica enlisted the maid of honor and best man's help (not that she actually needed it, they both knew).

Deciding they needed a game plan, Jughead and Betty reserved Thursday evening before the trip to formulate. She arrived home from her unpaid internship at the Times around 6 loaded down with two large pizzas, Hawaiian for herself and an entire supreme for Jughead. He was already in the apartment, she assumed he worked from home that day and was envious of his flexible schedule.

"Welcome home, honey." He greeted her with a dazzling smile and a hint of sarcasm. Betty couldn't help herself and returned the grin. "How was your day?" Jughead unloaded the boxes from her arms and moved them to the kitchen.

Betty let out a large huff and Jughead knew her well enough to know that meant it was long and exhausting. "Go change and I'll get something queued up on the TV" he quickly offered with a small chuckle.

"Thanks" she replied and slipped back into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Betty set about finding a pajama set. Before their kiss on the couch, her typical relaxed wardrobe was full of mismatched shorts and pajama pants with whatever tank top she could find to pull on. The last few days, however, she found herself wanting to put a little more effort into her appearance, even if no one else outside of their four walls would see it. She had been wearing matching sets, primarily shorts, with lower cut tops than normal. She told herself it was simply because she wanted to be comfortable, but she knew there was more to it. Ever since the night he kissed her, she found herself wanting to test their boundaries. He knew he affected her in his low-slung pajama pants and tank tops and had taken up habit of wearing a slightly different patterned pair every night since. She settled on a pair of shorter than normal black sleep shorts and a matching black tank top. Under the set, she wore her black lacy push up bra from the work day still and at the last minute, decided to swap her soft cotton panties for the black lacy pair of boy shorts she purchased with the bra.

With one last look in the mirror, Betty made a snap decision to pull out her signature ponytail. She ran her fingers through the tresses in an attempt to shake out the indention left by her hairband. Satisfied enough, she returned to the living room to find Jughead on the couch with the pizza boxes in front of them and Game of Thrones exactly where they left off the night before.

They eat while watching two episodes and Betty finds herself hyper aware of her knee that is now mere inches from his leg. Sitting cross legged on the couch while Jughead is sprawled out with his feet up on the table next to his empty pizza box and his arms slung casually around the back of the couch, Betty's mind begins to wander.

In a moment of brevity, Betty hits pause on the TV and turns to face Jughead. "Hey, so… um… I know we're going back to Riverdale this weekend, and I just wanted to know what the game plan was." She tried to sound nonchalant, but found herself looking down at her fingers, toying with the hem of her shorts.

"Game plan?" he quirked an eyebrow in her direction, uncertain of where this was going.

"Yeah, I mean I know my mom is expecting me to come by and I didn't know if you'd be seeing anyone you know, but I wasn't sure if we wanted this…. Thing" she signed by waving her hands back and forth between the two, "to extend past the New York City limits. I mean we'll have to be together at the wedding but if you don't want to parade it around beforehand, you know… I get it." Betty's voice dropped lower and lower and the words left her mouth, the last three nearly inaudible.

Sensing her discomfort, Jughead considered reaching forward and tilting her head up to ensure she knew that was the farthest thing from his mind. He could only imagine going back to Riverdale with Betty on his arm. Real or not, it was an exhilarating thought. Deciding the head tilt might possibly cross a line, he settled on reaching for her hands. Pulling them away from their current task of fiddling with her shorts, he threaded his fingers through hers. He found it hard to break his gaze from her fully exposed upper thighs. Jughead hadn't seen this pajama set on Betty before and thought she looked breathtaking in the shades that were more accustomed to his aesthetic. Black – not pink—he decided, was Betty Cooper's color.

"Betts…" his voice came out low and gruff, causing Betty to look up into his piercing blue eyes. Had they always been this blue? Had she just not noticed before? Surely, they had to have changed in the last few years, because she had looked at him many times before and managed not to get as lost in them as she was just then. "I'm in this. Really." He said with more conviction than was probably necessary. "Why would I care if anyone knew? Hell, if they didn't see you themselves they probably wouldn't believe it. So, this weekend, we can be Betty and Jughead… the couple, okay?" He felt his heart hammering against his chest and laughed lightly at the idea that somehow, she thought he would want to give up a chance to be around Betty. Pretending or not, he found himself wanting more every day.

"Okay" she said with a sense of finality. "I was also thinking…." She began, the hint of unease rising in her voice again was not lost on Jughead. "My mom's hard to convince. I mean she's seen us together our whole lives and while Veronica and Archie seemed to believe it, they're also looking at everything though their newly engaged rose colored glasses. My mom won't be."

Not sure where her train of thought was leading, Jughead sat in silence and let Betty continue. Their hands were still intertwined and he grazed her knuckles with the pad of his thumb in soothing circles, silently reassuring her that whatever she was about to say, he wanted to listen.

"So, I think we should practice." Jughead looks up from their hands not entirely sure what to say. He can see the blush rise on her cheeks at the suggestion and remains silent, not trusting himself to form a coherent sentence with thoughts of what said 'practice' could entail running through his mind.

"I mean, not like constantly or anything but you said you wanted to get the awkwardness out of the way and if we've been together a few weeks, I think you're right. My mom will dig into it and dissect our relationship. I just don't want to deal with her not believing it and if we get all the awkwardness out of the way, it'll be more believable. I mean –" unsure of what to say next, she sneaks a peek at Jughead who seems to be stoic. She can't tell if this hairbrained idea is being well received on his end or not, but he doesn't seem totally appalled, which Betty counts as a good sign.

He can't seem to find the words to describe exactly how okay he was with this idea. Okay, I'll hold your hand. Okay, I'll kiss you in public. Okay, I'll kiss you in private for practice, too. Okay, anything you want Betty, literally anything…. okay. "Okay." He says after a long few minutes of silence, omitting all the adages running through his brain in favor of the one-word response.

"Good" Betty responds, called back to their first talk about the situation and she feels empowered. He agreed, the thought alone making her smile wider than she's sure she ever has. Ducking her head once more to match his, she's looking at their fingers trying to think of how to move forward. "You said it was awkward the first time you kissed me here, so maybe we need to practice. Find out what each other likes and make it believable, so we're ready for this weekend." Betty says it so quietly he's not sure he heard her correctly at all. Jughead had spent so many years putting Betty Cooper into a box labeled best friend that he wasn't sure how this would affect it.

She initiated this conversation, he thinks. He knows Alice Cooper is a great journalist and Betty's probably right. If it didn't appear to be genuine, he's not sure she would believe they really were together. He's not sure she'll believe it anyway, if he's being honest with himself. He's still in disbelief. She said they needed to practice and he knows their leaving tomorrow, so he knows she means now, but he finds himself afraid to take the plunge again. He had initiated their last kiss and this was her idea, so he decided to let her lead at first and simply enjoy the ride as long as he possibly could.

Before he could think too much more about it, he found Betty pulling her hands away from his. She moved them up to cup his face and rested her forehead against his. "Is this okay?" she asks timidly and he nodded slightly in response. Pivoting her forehead slightly she angled his face to the side and brought their lips together. It was tentative at first, soft and delicate. Unlike their first kiss, this one lasted more than a few seconds. With their lips still connected, easing into the push and pull of each other, Betty slid her hands around the back of his neck and threaded her fingers into the patch of soft hair at the base of his neck.

Jughead was stunned by the sudden contact and it took a minute for his brain to catch up to what was going on. Feeling emboldened by her actions, he moved his hands to her waist and shifted slightly to angle their bodies toward one another. She responded immediately and pressed herself against his chest as she twisted on the couch.

Betty ran her tongue along the seam of his lips and was rewarded by him granting her more access. He slipped his tongue into her mouth before she was able, and the groan that escaped her awoke something inside of him. Betty was making out with him, on their couch, with no one around, under the guise of practice, but he would be damned if he didn't take what he could get when she was willing. No matter how many times he had envisioned what it would be like to kiss Betty Cooper, any dream would have paled in comparison to the reality he was currently in.

As their tongues tangled and their touches became more urgent, Jughead shifted her once again. Attempting to pull her closer than physically possible into his side, she pulled back for a brief second. His mind began to race and he feared they may have taken it too far. What if this isn't what she had in mind? What if this was too much?

Before his mind ran completely away with the idea of Betty's hesitance, he was surprised to feel her weight settle on his lap. Her legs were on either side of his and she cupped his face once again in her palms and looked down at him.

"Hi" she breathed.

"Hi", he responded before the overwhelming urge to touch her again consumed him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and crushed his lips to hers in a bruising kiss as he pulled her body flush against his own. All thoughts of apprehension or consequences went out the window when he moved his hands down to squeeze her exposed upper thighs and she moaned into his mouth in response.

Betty's ability to think coherently slipped away with each stroke of his tongue against her own. When she straddled his lap, she felt embarrassed at first, afraid she might have taken it too far, but his response was immediate and enthusiastic, quelling any of her previous hesitations.

Overwhelmed by the sudden urge to elicit more of those sounds from her, Jughead moved his mouth down the column of her neck and placed hot, open mouthed kisses wherever he could connect. Reaching her pulse point, he paid special attention to the area as her breathy 'yes' registered in his brain. Jughead tugged on her tank top, silently asking for permission, and continued moving his mouth along her collarbone, nipping and sucking along the way. She nodded and pulled the straps down her shoulders to avoid breaking the kiss. The top pooled around her waist leaving her clad in only the black lacy bra covering her upper half, still dressed from the waist down.

"They match, in case you were wondering." she breathed. He groaned deeply and the vibrations from his throat sent shivers up her body as his head found purchase in the crook of her neck. Betty had been single for a while and every inch of skin Jughead touched felt like it was on fire. She was consumed by his presence and the feeling of his arousal pressed against her. Long gone was her ability to think rationally and she couldn't find it in herself to care in the least as their bodies responded unconsciously to each other.

"Your turn" he heard, her breath hot in the shell of his ear as she pulled his top over his head, breaking contact for only a moment before pulling his face back to her own. She was tugging on his locks as their tongues fought for dominance and he involuntarily bucked his hips upward to meet her center. Jughead slid his hands down to grip her hips and direct the pressure to where he needed it most. She ground down onto him in response and tugged on his hair a bit harder to convey her need.

Lost in each other, they didn't hear the door open and only registered their best friends' presence once Veronica cleared her throat. Betty immediately buried her head into Jughead's neck and flushed blood red. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her and held her close, attempting – fruitlessly—to shield her from their prying eyes.

"Ahem, we'll give you guys a minute to redress, come over to our place once you're done please!" Veronica called as she exited the apartment, her stunned fiancée in tow. Walking in on this scene was certainly different from the impromptu kiss and Jughead was brought back to reality. Mission accomplished, he thinks bitterly.

"Well, we got a bonus out of practice, we even had an audience at the end." His tone falls flat as Betty tries to regain her composure. She's still tucked into his side and feels hurt by his sudden change in demeanor. Unable to meet his eyes, she slips off his lap and pulls her tank top back up to cover herself, suddenly embarrassed. That had gone much further than she had expected, but she wouldn't say she regretted it. She hadn't been with anyone after her last boyfriend and couldn't deny how good his touch had felt. So good, in fact, she's not sure when it would have stopped if they weren't interrupted.

Unsure of what to say next, and frankly not trusting her voice, Betty just nodded and went to the bathroom. She runs a brush through her hair and splashes water on her face to refocus herself. She had gotten carried away. She knows that. Maybe she should apologize to Jughead. It wasn't fair for him to be her outlet for pent up frustration, but she doesn't want to. She doesn't want to apologize for something she's not exactly sorry for. Betty was raised to be prim and proper and apologies were an instinct for her, whether she meant them or not. In a moment of defiance, she decided she wouldn't apologize. She really wasn't sorry and she hoped he wasn't either. It was just for practice after all anyway and they needed to get more comfortable to be around her mother.

After she exits the bathroom, she finds Jughead hanging out by the door. Neither one sure of what to say to each other when she approaches. He's consumed by the sight of her kiss-swollen lips and feels a rush of pride surge though him. He did that. He's the reason she has a bruise on her neck. His mark is etched so deeply in her skin that he can't tear his eyes away for a minute. He can feel a smile playing at the corners of his lips and decided to reach for her hand as they walk into the lion's den across the hall.

They were set to go back to Riverdale tomorrow and expected a quiet night tonight to pack and prepare. Veronica and Archie, on the other hand, wanted to go over some last-minute details about their trip and the meeting with the wedding planner. They scheduled the full weekend for themselves and added events into their digital calendars to be shared with Betty and Jughead for the shared events. The soon-to-be newlyweds would be spending a lot of time with their best friends, but not all of it. Once they were all on the same page for their upcoming trip, Betty and Jughead slipped back into their apartment. Jughead dropped the hand he had been holding since their earlier departure and was suddenly unsure of what to say or do next.

Thankfully, he was saved by Betty's hardy yawn. Taking the cue, they said their good nights and retreated to their respective bedrooms.

After work the following day, Betty and Jughead load their suitcases into Archie's SUV and settled into the backseat.

The plan was for them all to drive up on Friday and come back on Sunday. Veronica had reserved three rooms at Riverdale's most upscale hotel a few weeks ago for each of them. Betty had her own room, Jughead had his own room, and Archie and Veronica were sharing a room. At least, that had been the plan last Betty or Jughead knew about it.

The group was well on their way to Riverdale after work Friday when Veronica caught the not-really-a-couple by surprise. "I fixed the hotel accommodations, by the way" she casually threw out. "I figured you guys would want some alone time so I upgraded the two individual rooms to a couple's suite for you. You're welcome." Veronica smiled at them both from her position in the front seat and Jughead found his hand wrapping around Betty's, sensing her unease.

"Thanks" Betty managed to say with a steady voice, her sentiment not quite betraying the façade she was attempting to keep up. She threaded her fingers through Jughead's and leaned her head down on his shoulder. This weekend would be interesting, one way or another, there was no doubt about that.


	4. Home is Where the Heart is

**Wedding Countdown: 6 weeks**

They arrived at the hotel late evening and got settled into their rooms. It was a decadent room, with a lounge area as soon as you entered and a fully stocked wet bar off to the left. There were two bathrooms, one off to the side of the main room past the mini bar. There was an office nook in the corner opposite the bathroom and a singular bedroom off to the right with a spacious en suite connected to it.

Nothing was on the agenda for this evening, so they decided to take a trip to Pop's. While there were other diners in the city, nothing could compare to Pop's burgers and milkshakes and they both agreed it was a necessary stop during their trip. Veronica and Archie were having dinner with the Lodges in Greendale so Betty and Jughead decided the short trip to Pop's could be done easily by foot. It was a nice enough evening, and the fresh air would be a welcomed change from the stagnant tension they were drowning in during the ride up.

Exiting the building, Jughead was surprised when Betty reached over and laced her fingers with his, shifting a bit closer as they walked. Even after their hot and heavy make out on the couch the night before, these simple touches still caught him off guard and he found himself wanting to bring her closer… so he did. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and was surprised to feel her arm wrap around his waist in response. Why hadn't he done this sooner? They were halfway to Pop's by that time and Jughead couldn't help but wish they had further to walk.

They sat on opposite sides of the red vinyl booth. The very same booth they spent an excessive amount of time in during their previous lives in Riverdale. It felt like coming home, more so than simply arriving in the town. Sitting in that booth, together, on opposite sides, Jughead couldn't help but reflect on all the times they had done this same thing. They wound up here after every game, at least two weeknights per week and every time something went catastrophically wrong in their teenage years. This booth was, Jughead thought, a member of their group. When Pop approached the table, he greeted them warmly and didn't bother asking for their orders. He knew what they wanted, it was always the same; Jughead and his double cheeseburger with everything on it, a large side of fries and a milkshake and Betty with a regular cheeseburger, ketchup only and a small fry with another milkshake.

They talked at length about anything and everything in a way only life-long friends could. From the outside, they appeared comfortable and friendly, but they both knew they were tiptoeing around what was actually going on. Neither brought up the incident on the couch nor did they discuss their plan at all. They simply enjoyed the nostalgia filled evening as best friends with the best burgers and shakes within hundreds of miles.

When they made it back to the hotel, they were grateful to have already checked in. They slipped in without a sighting of Archie or Veronica and went up to their shared room. They both knew there was only one bed in the room but neither had mentioned the fact, yet. Choosing to ignore it until they were forced to acknowledge it.

Betty unpacked and decided to take a shower, knowing she didn't want to leave with wet hair in the morning for breakfast. Jughead sat at the desk and typed away at a fervent pace, suddenly feeling inspired. He was so lost in his laptop he didn't hear her exit the bathroom. When she approached him, he broke his gaze from the screen and it took everything in him to keep his jaw from going slack. Betty stood in front of him in nothing but a white robe with her perfect blonde tresses laid over her shoulders, still slightly damp.

"Hey, sounds like you've been inspired" she suddenly felt awkward, seeing the way he was looking at her. She noticed he clenched his jaw and hoped she hadn't derailed his entire train of thought. Jughead had been working on a novel for the better part of a year between his paid positions and Betty knew he had been struggling to put words on the paper.

"Yeah, um… yes. Riverdale is inspiring… what can I say" he shrugged his shoulders in a forced move to convey the nonchalance he absolutely was not feeling in that moment. He couldn't seem to look up from the keyboard again, for fear of his thoughts venturing away from him.

Betty walked into the bedroom and got dressed, taking the same care to pick out matching sets that she had been doing back at their apartment. She settled on her baby blue shorts with a matching tank top that crisscrossed in the back, exposing more of her chest than normal and was satisfied with the white lingerie set she had chosen, as well.

She settled onto the couch in the lounge area of their suite and pulled out a book. Jughead snuck a glance at her and felt his heart rate accelerate at the sight. She was so much more than beautiful in that instant to him. He hadn't seen the pajamas she was wearing before and found himself hoping he would see more of them around from now on. They were more revealing than her playful printed ones and he was certainly not complaining. Glancing down to the book in her hands, he felt a sudden surge of confidence. She was reading the book he had given her last Christmas. A signed first edition of Beloved by Toni Morrison and his bravado increased tenfold.

Jughead got up from his perch at the desk and wandered over to where she was sitting. He picked up her feet and settled into the couch, placing himself on one end and settled her feet back down on his lap. Still feeling the lingering effects of her chosen reading material, he began rubbing his hands up and down her calves in a soothing manner. She appeared unaffected by his proximity and he decided to test the waters.

"So tomorrow morning, we have breakfast with the Coopers before we meet Veronica at the Pembrooke to walk the venue. Are you nervous?" he snuck a glance at her as she bookmarked her page and removed her feet from his lap. Before he could analyze the reasoning for her shift in position he felt her sit back on the couch, close enough that their thighs were touching.

"Not really" she didn't sound confident in this sentiment, Jughead noted. "I mean I talk to her frequently enough but I don't come home much anymore. I try not to let her affect me like she used to."

Knowing what she was referring to, Jughead reached out and wrapped his hand around her own, his thumb lightly stroking the inside of her palm, where the lingering effects of her childhood trauma still scarred. Shifting slightly closer to her, Jughead noted her tension.

"I'll be there… the whole time you know." Attempting to reassure her, Jughead brought her marginally closer once more and felt her melt into his side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she breathed a 'thank you', so quiet he wasn't sure he had heard it at all. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes while Jughead rubbed his thumb absentmindedly on her shoulder, attempting to quell her nerves. This had become comfortable over the last few weeks. Sitting on a couch, albeit not nearly as comfortable as their own at home, Betty in his arms, and Jughead thinks he wouldn't want to be anywhere else in that moment.

Betty yawned and Jughead checked the clock. He knew she didn't stay up this late most nights and figured the trip up had tired her out. He knows the feeling, simply being back in Riverdale is mentally exhausting to him and he's not even planning on seeing his family, so he doesn't blame her for wanting to rest up before the uncertainty of their busy day tomorrow.

"I'll sleep on the couch" he offers, only to be met with a quirked eyebrow from Betty and a small laugh.

"Really? This thing is so uncomfortable I'm not sure you'd be able to walk tomorrow if you did that… and in case you forgot, I really need you." Her tone shifted from joking to almost pleading by the end of the sentence and Jughead felt his heart wrench uncomfortably in his chest. Maybe he was reading too much into it, maybe it wasn't as real for her as it was for him, but when she uttered those words, he felt his resolve wash away. He knew he couldn't deny her, he never had been able to.

"I've slept in far more uncomfortable places, Betts", he attempted to lightly protest, his tone giving way to a heartbreaking reality that Betty already knew.

He was homeless for a while in high school. Betty found out one morning when she showed up early to work on a draft for the Blue and Gold, or so she told everyone else. In all honesty, she was simply escaping Alice Cooper. That morning she was hypercritical and mentioned Betty should try cutting the carbs, warning her the cheerleading outfit she had worked so hard to obtain wasn't as flattering with extra weight and maybe she should cover up. In her escape to the school, she had stumbled upon Jughead. It was far too early for anyone to be there with good reason and certainly far too early for Jughead to be there clad in only a towel with wet hair. He told her then, about his dad and the trailer. He told her how he couldn't live there anymore, how FP's drinking had become impossible to bear. He showed her where he was sleeping, under the stairs, in a long-abandoned closet, and her heart broke.

Thinking back to that morning, Betty was determined. "Sleep in the bed with me, Jug… please" she squeezed his hand for emphasis before he finally conceded with a nod.

"I'm just going to write for a bit longer and then I'll be there." They split off in silence and Jughead returned to his laptop, letting the inspiration wash over him as he typed away into the wee hours of the morning.

He looked at the clock a long while later and realized it was well past midnight. He knew he needed sleep and finally shut the laptop down to venture into the singular bedroom. Betty is there, already sleeping soundly with the covers pulled up over her shoulders. She's facing the middle of the bed and appears to have left his side turned down, ready for whenever he decided to call it a night.

Jughead stood by the bed for a long minute, observing the way her hair curled around her face. It was free from its customary ponytail and his hands itched with the impulse to brush the loose wisps out from their resting place on her cheek. He crawled into bed next to her and pulled his covers up around his shoulders, as well. After turning off the bedside lamp, he turned around and watched her chest rise and fall at a leisurely pace. She is beautiful, he thinks, once more. Slowly, he reached forward and brushed the loose strands of hair away from her face. Betty shifted closer and reached her arm out toward him. He thought she was still asleep, but is surprised when her eyelids flutter open. Lost in his own reverie, lost in her deep green eyes, he doesn't register her fingertips ghosting over his cheek until she reached his chin. She thumbs his bottom lip and on impulse, Jughead kisses the pad of her thumb. What is she doing? Will she remember this in the morning? His mind begins to race, as the minimal space between them heats up.

Betty is glad he came to bed. Knowing it was far later than it should have been, she worried he might not come at all. They had never slept in the same bed together and their close proximity felt alarmingly intimate for two best friends. Who was she kidding,she thought, something between them had shifted. The night before she was straddling him on the couch and ever since, she hadn't been able to tear her thoughts away from the way her entire body responded to his touch. She had been with men before, but no one made her feel the way the hot and heavy couch session had. It's like she was a powder keg and he had lit the string. Silently, she wondered, when it might explode.

In a moment of concision, she dared to run her fingers along the side of his face, tracing the sharp angles she found there with delicacy. He was looking at her by the time she reached his chin and their eyes connected. She saw his eyes dart down to her lips for a brief second and decided to give into her desires. She mustered everything inside of her and closed the distance between them.

They had only kissed 3 times now but each time it was different, the first being hesitant and electric – something new, something strange—the second being confident, skilled, and enamoring. She had been replaying their evening over and over in her mind. This time, however, felt pure, simple, and right. Their mouths moved slowly and with purpose. Neither daring to deepen it and both enjoying the simplicity of the kiss.

When they separated, Betty quickly ducked her head and rested it on his covered chest. She felt his arms curve around her waist and hold her gently against his frame. She tangled their legs together and took a deep breath. No one said anything for a long time. Betty listened intently to his heart rate, quickened at first, but now mellowing out. Within minutes, the soft sounds of his heartbeat lulled her to sleep and they remained tangled together until the sun rose the following morning.

Jughead woke up first, much to his own surprise, and realized Betty was still resting peacefully on his chest. He tightened his arms around her and was intoxicated by the domesticity of it all. If he closed his eyes for a few minutes and fell back asleep, it might almost feel like this snippet was real. Alice Cooper, however, was on the agenda today and he knew that meant they both needed to get ready and leave.

He carefully pulled Betty's arms from around him and untangled their legs. She groaned softly and the thought of staying here a little while longer threatened to overrule his rationale. He successfully extracted himself from the bed and only barely roused her.

Jughead quickly showered and got dressed for the day in the bathroom. When he exited, he noticed the bed was empty and Betty was nowhere to be seen. He grabbed his beanie and pulled it over his head and entered the lounge area of the hotel room. There he found Betty dressed and ready to go while making them both a cup of coffee in the complimentary Keurig.

"Morning Juggy, we need to leave in a few minutes. Alice Cooper does not stand tardiness" she mockingly chastised and Jughead found himself laughing, knowing all too well it wasn't a joke.

They arrived at the Cooper house ten minutes early and exited the Uber. Jughead saw Betty take a deep breath and reached for her hand. She turned to look at him and quirked a lopsided smile before tightening her grip and approaching the door. She knocked a few times and was greeted by her dad with a warm hug as soon as the door was open. Jughead shook Hal's hand before grabbing Betty's hand once more in reassurance. They moved into the main area of the house, making their way to the kitchen. Neither Jughead or Betty was surprised to see Alice already sat at a table, newspaper in hand, with a full breakfast spread, waiting for them. She lowered the paper and eyed their interlocked hands with unease.

Betty walked forward and hugged her mom, murmuring something about missing her and being glad they could make it. Jughead could barely register the words as he felt Mrs. Cooper's gaze burn into him uncomfortably over Betty's shoulder. He reached forward and shook her hand as well in greeting before they all settled around the table for breakfast.

"So Jug-Head, when did you and my daughter start dating?" Alice broke the ice swifter than he expected and Jughead shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

He felt Betty reach over and place a reassuring hand on his thigh as he spoke. "A few weeks ago, it's still new." He kept his answers short and concise, well aware of her journalistic tendencies and fully expecting an assault of questions.

"Mom, Juggy and I have liked each other for a while now, we just finally gave into it and started dating." She stated with confidence, not looking at Alice or Hal, but looking directly into Jughead's crystalline eyes. The blue distracting her for a second before following up on her response. "We've moved in together and I think we both know it's serious." His gaze never left hers as he absorbed the gravity of what she was saying. Almost believing it himself, until she slyly winked in his direction, away from her parent's line of sight.

Snapping back to it, he looked at Alice and waited patiently for her response. He felt Betty's hand begin to shift from his leg and brought his down to cover it; he wasn't ready to feel the absence of her hand and held it in place.

"You always were impulsive Elizabeth, can't say I'm surprised at how little you must have thought this through." Alice's tone icy and shrill sent shivers up Jughead's spine. He knew she had always been harsh but they had just arrived, barely started to pick at their food, and he had expected her decency to last a little bit longer.

"It feels right mom and I'm an adult. I make my own decisions and this was my decision. Now I'd appreciate it if you'd respect that and quit speaking to me like he's not right here in the same room with us." Betty managed to utter with confidence and Jughead instinctively shifted their hands to interlock his fingers with hers. He worried she might begin to feel anxious and press into her palms. With his hand in her own, she wouldn't be able to, he reasoned… that's why he held her hand.. that's all.

"Do NOT speak to me like that Elizabeth Cooper. I am your mother and you will respect me. I'm just looking out for your best interests here. You have an unpaid internship in New York, who's going to take care of you? A reformed serpent?" Her voice rose with each word and the final pang to his chest occurred as she drudged up his past they all knew too well. Alice fixed her gaze upon Jughead once more, "She deserves better than you Jug-Head. I think we both know that."

Before he could register what was happening, Betty's grip tightened to the point of pain and she was pulling him up and out of his chair along with her. "I am done discussing this with you mother. I know myself better than anyone and I will NOT let you speak to people I care about that way. You did it for far too long with me and I'm done."

He was exiting the house, being tugged along by Betty before the whole scene registered. He followed her wordlessly for a few minutes before realizing they were approaching Sweetwater River.

She kept her fierce grip on his hand all the way until they were sitting by the bank. Finally getting a glace of her face, he realized she had been crying for a while, potentially the whole walk. Sensing her propensity to spiral, he brushed the tears from her cheeks with one hand and gripped her shoulder with the other.

"My family's crazy, Jug." She huffed. "What kind of mother acts like that? We were there for five minutes and I already felt like I was back in high school. I know she was never your biggest fan but why would she do that?" Her words were speeding up and her breathing was increasing at a rapid race. "Why does she always have to do this? She ruins everything. Why can't she just accept me and my decisions? She sees me as a little girl who she can chastise into behaving but…. But I'm not that person anymore. Not since—" she choked out, feeling unable to breathe in that instant. Noticing the signs of the coming anxiety attack, his heart ached for her.

Jughead gripped Betty's hand and brought it to his chest. He spread it out flat across his heart and covered her hand with his own. "Breathe with me, Betty. Feel my chest, in and out, in and out" There was a pause and he worried she was past the point of no return.

"Come back to me", he pleaded softly. He reached his other hand up to cup her face and wiped the tears from under her eyes once again while tilting it up so their eyes could connect. He saw her gaze trail down to his lips and impulsively decided to lean forward. His lips gently brushed her own and his lean fingers stroked her cheek with his thumb. When they broke away, he leaned his forehead on hers. "Hey, it's okay. Fuck Alice Cooper." She laughed and a soft smile graced his face at the action. "Good, now just breathe with me for a few more minutes. I'm right here. Always." She ducked her head once again and laid it on his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her small body and pulled her to him.

Betty begin to calm down. Her breaths transforming from shallow gulps to deep inhales. Realizing she was practically sitting in his lap, she snapped out of it. He noticed her stiffen but didn't say anything and she was grateful. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew she needed to stay there for a little while longer. She wasn't ready to leave the comfort of the moment just yet and basked in it instead. They sat in silence for an extended period of time before Jughead cleared his throat.

"Not to rain on this parade, but Veronica will be expecting us at the venue soon." Betty was entranced by the way his voice vibrated straight through his chest. She could feel the depth of it and found herself warming up in their compromising position. The blush that stained her cheeks, mercifully unnoticeable in their current position.

"Yeah, Bridezilla would lose it if we weren't there to watch her boss around the wedding planner. I'm not sure why we even have to go." She laughed, knowing full well they would be background ornaments purely there for moral support.

Jughead pulled out his phone and ordered an Uber for them to the Pembrooke. They sat still, in silence, only moving when they saw their expected ride.

They held hands the entire ride and didn't break contact once inside the hotel. Archie was waiting outside the ballroom and they heard Veronica's voice inside, no doubt instilling fear in whoever was on the other end of the lashing. She was going on about the tablecloths not being the right shade and the three friends looked at each other amused.

The rest of the day Jughead held her hands just a bit tighter, pulled her a bit closer, and found himself affectionately kissing the crown of her head or her hands when he felt her anxiety begin to rise. For two straight hours, that felt like ten times that, they listened to Veronica critique everything from the dust on the crown molding in the room to the baseboards that needed a thorough cleaning before the big day. She arranged and rearranged the tables twice and decided the dance floor needed to be larger.

At the end of the session, she turned toward the other three and asked what they thought. Archie was the first to respond eagerly, reassuring her that her choices were perfect. Betty, next, told her that all of the ideas were great, and lastly Jughead shrugged. Sensing she was done for the time being with the area, Veronica began saying her goodbyes.

"So the dinner reservation is in 30 minutes, we can all ride together in the town car, if you want." Veronica suggested as she rejoined the group by the exit.

"Actually, V, I'm really not feeling well. I think we're going to have to skip out on dinner, I'm really sorry." Betty tried to excuse them for the evening, feeling weighted down with the earlier events in the day. Alice Cooper always knew how to get under her skin and she didn't feel ready to spend a few hours in a very public restaurant feigning happiness for her best friend. She was already exhausted from the day and didn't have the energy to keep up appearances tonight.

"Sure, B. I know seeing your mom is a lot and I appreciate you guys coming to Riverdale with me at all." Veronica said gratefully.

When they got back to the hotel, Jughead felt a shift between the two of them. She hadn't held his hand since they left the venue and he wasn't sure why they had done it the entire day before that. He knew she needed him to be there, it was physical reassurance that she wasn't alone. But he also knew something was changing between them. His whole life he had known it was better to have Betty Cooper in his life as a friend than not at all. He was suddenly terrified of what would happen when this whole charade was over. They had no more reason to practice, everyone seemed to believe them, but that logic didn't stop him from thinking about kissing her again.

They were settled on the couch in the lounge area eating the Pop's takeaway they picked up on the way home, Jughead found himself at a loss for words. He was going over the events of the last few weeks in his head and trying to figure out how much of it was real. He knew on his end, all of it was, but he also knew the practices were her idea. Of course, she would want to be convincing to her best friend and her mom. How embarrassing would it be to say she was fake dating her best friend just to avoid their scrutiny.

Jughead knew they had the rest of the evening and night to themselves. He knew something was happening between them, he just wanted to test the boundaries of the arrangement once more, and decided they needed to let loose a little to achieve that.

"How about we order a few bottles of wine and watch a movie?" He suggested and she quickly agreed with a nod.

Room service arrived a short while later and Betty poured them both glasses before settling on the couch and resuming their movie choice, Gentleman Prefer Blondes. Jughead knew Betty loved Marilyn Monroe and old cinema and his artistic brain liked the idea that the title gave way to his own truth.

By the end of the movie, they were both polishing off their second glasses of wine. As the pretense of the evening washed away with each drink they downed, they shifted closer and closer. Betty tilted her body further in toward his own and he threw his hand across the back of the couch at some point. They were in a state of limbo, they weren't quite touching, but their body language was open to one another, a silent invitation for either of them to cross the invisible line separating themselves from each other.

As the credits rolled, neither made a sound. Betty picked up the remote and settled on another movie, Rebel Without a Cause. She knew he liked James Dean and his resemblance to the main character was a fleeting thought during her process. The movie started and she slowly let her shoulder rest on his chest. She felt his arm wrap around her own shoulders firmly and was grateful he couldn't see the silly grin plastered on her face, unaware that he could feel it spreading.


	5. Ignition

**Wedding Countdown: 6 weeks**

Betty hadn't moved a millimeter since settling into Jughead's side at the start of the movie. She wanted so badly to reach forward and grab her wine, she needed to lubricate her mind for the night ahead. Their constant state of limbo weighing heavy on her mind and heart.

Jughead was her best friend. Ever since Archie and Veronica coupled up, Jughead had stepped into the role of confidant for Betty and the thought of that changing terrified her. Being around her mother again that morning reminded her that she came with her own mountain of baggage in any relationship, as her last boyfriend so kindly reminded her frequently. Anytime Betty would get mad, he would tell her she was acting like her mother (who he had only met a handful of times) and it would infuriate her. The final straw was when he told her she was crazy like the rest of her family, Betty ended it at that point, knowing he couldn't simultaneously love her and speak to her that way. Her own insecurities glaringly obvious in the situation, but not to be ignored either way.

Jughead, on the other hand, had always stood by her when her family drama hit its peak. He was always there to center her, tell her she wasn't her family, tell her they weren't their parents. Jughead had his own tragic circumstances and Betty always felt guilty when he was the one comforting her in times of crisis – it really should have been the other way around. The more she thought about it, the more she realized what he said earlier by the river was more than true. He was always right there, and Betty felt silly to have not seen it sooner.

Deciding she needed more wine to act on any impure impulses she was nurturing, Betty leaned forward and refilled both glasses before bringing one up to her lips and succumbing to the slight buzz she was beginning to feel.

They were both about halfway through their third—or was it fourth?— glass when Betty began to feel the warmth spread through her body. She wasn't sure if she should attribute it to the alcohol coursing through her veins or the fact that when she settled back on the couch, he pulled her ever so slightly closer.

Being in the expensive hotel room, curled into her best friend's side on an uncomfortable couch, with quite a bit of wine in her, Betty decided to make the next move. He had kissed her last, earlier that day and her lips ached to feel the pressure of his again. She could still count the kisses they had shared and wanted nothing more than to grow that number exponentially. She knew this last week had been overwhelming for them both. Things were shifting with their friendship and she felt like she was at the edge of a cliff. Would they fall off it together? – or would they fall apart when all of this inevitably came crashing down? When everything did fall, where would their pieces land? Could they go back to being just friends? Is that what he would want when this was all over? Was it what she wanted? Answering the last question to herself, Betty thought no… it certainly isn't.

Feeling every drop of liquid courage she had consumed, Betty resolved to open her mouth and finally talk about the budding tension. With every intention of having a full conversation, Betty angled her head to meet his gaze. It appeared he had been observing her for a while, his eyes focused on hers, and Betty suddenly felt suffocated. The air between them too hot, too thick, and too much to ignore any longer.

Betty's eyelids fluttered closed as she felt his fingertips come up to trace the outline of her jaw. She felt the featherlight pressure of his lips brushing against her own and found herself unable to think clearly any longer. She crushed her lips to his and felt euphoric. Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the atmosphere, or maybe… just maybe, it was a culmination of the storm that began brewing years before.

Jughead had been watching her, holding his breath, pinching himself to make sure this was real. Betty was in his arms, no audience, no pretense of practice, just Betty, with him, on the couch, and he was enamored. She turned her head and he was struck by those green eyes once again. Her pupils were blown wide and as if he could sense her inner turmoil, he reached up to trace the edge of her jaw. When her eyes fluttered closed, he couldn't help himself any longer. He had to kiss her. She looked too good not to, and he had never wanted anything more than he wanted to feel the pressure of her lips against his in that instant.

He knew they needed to talk about the way he was feeling, but his judgement became cloudier as the pressure increased with each kiss. Jughead slid his hand around to the back of her neck and tugged her closer, wanting to eliminate every inch of unnecessary space in that moment. Betty easily complied and twisted her body against his, pressing her chest to his own and sliding her tongue across his bottom lip, silently asking for permission. He granted it willingly and tightened his grip on her, moving a hand down to her upper thigh. She moved instinctively, sensing his question, without being asked, she leaned up on her knees and brought one to each side of him, settling herself on his lap, their lips still connected.

Jughead pulled back, resting his forehead on hers, their breaths intermingling as his brain caught up to his body. "Betts…" he faltered. The silence proceeding became deafening for them both. She was still settled on his lap, the warmth radiating from her core making him uncomfortably aroused. "What are we doing?" he questioned.

Unsure of how to answer, Betty let the silence stretch. Still intoxicated by their closeness and the compromising position they were in, she felt unable to be anything other than honest with him, "I … I don't know, Jug." She felt him deflate under her and needed him to know she was aware of the shift between them too. "But Jug…" she said, cupping his cheeks and forcing him to meet her eyes. "I want this….. tonight… with you….." She saw his eyes soften and felt a smile tug at her lips in response. "Okay?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, still holding his gaze.

Jughead didn't trust his voice, and simply nodded in response, swiftly capturing her lips with his own. That was all the permission he needed, her words bouncing around in his head. Tonight, he thought over and over again. Even if it was just for the night, he knew he couldn't say no.

He wrapped his arms around her and tightened his grip, letting his hands wander over the expanse of her body. He settled them just over her hips, pressing the pads of his thumbs into her hip bones and she gasped into his mouth in response.

Betty ground herself down onto him as she tugged at the hair she had captured between her fingers, tightening her grip and bringing him impossibly closer. Jughead leaned his forehead on the crook of her neck and groaned loudly. The vibrations from the deep sound sent shivers down her spine.

Betty tugged at the bottom of Jughead's shirt and pulled it off quickly, tossing it to the floor. She raked her nails down his toned stomach and he pulled on her tank top in return. She shed the layer and leaned forward, nothing separating their chests but the lacy bra still wrapped around her. Her skin was on fire everywhere they were connected. She pressed further into him and felt his hand cup her backside, lifting her up. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around him as they stood.

"Bed" he whispered gruffly into her ear and she leaned her head down on his collarbone nodding as he walked, too heated to speak and too drunk on his touch to protest. She felt the mattress dip under her back before she opened her eyes once more.

Jughead stared down at Betty, clad in only her lacy bra and sleep shorts. She scooted up on the bed and he crawled forward between her legs to follow. He brought one hand up to thumb the waistband of her shorts and she lifted her hips in response as he pulled them off. She was biting her lip and Jughead nearly lost it right there. He had imagined this moment so many times he almost pinched himself to ensure it was real, only deciding not to when he felt her legs wrap back around his hips and her arms snaked around his neck. Their lips met in a passionate, lustful kiss. Unlike their previous encounters, there was no pretense in that moment and they both got lost in each other.

They kissed languidly as Jughead ran his hand up and down along her side. He broke away for a minute to admire her shape under him. She was wearing only her bra and panty set and Jughead thought she looked ethereal. Her soft golden waves surrounded her face and when she smiled shyly up at him, he couldn't help but think if he wasn't already hopelessly in love with her, he would have fallen all over again right then and there.

Betty leaned up and recaptured his lips, trying to convey the urgency of her needs. She thumbed the button on his jeans and pushed them down past his hips. She was mesmerized for a moment by sight of him hovering over her and wanted to touch him so badly she thought she might combust. She tugged on his boxers next and he grabbed her hand to pull it away.

"Not yet" he whispered in her ear, before gently biting on her earlobe. "You first, baby" He placed another kiss just behind her ear, on her pulse point and Betty melted. Jughead worked his way down the column of her neck, biting and sucking in perfect rhythm as he heard her pants and moans pick up the pace. He ventured down and tugged on the cup of her bra, she nodded in response and leaned up to take it off. Free of the barrier, he found his place on her neck once more and sucked vigorously just above her collarbone. She could feel the skin bruising but couldn't bring herself to care. She was lost in the ecstasy of the moment and was captivated further when he applied gentle pressure to her breast. He slowly circled his palm on one of her breasts and broke contact with her neck, satisfied with his mark, trailing kissed down to her other breast. He nipped at her taught nipple teasingly and she moaned loudly in response. Jughead felt his cock twitch and decided to see how many more ways he could entice her to make those sounds that night.

His mouth worked her chest as her fingers were buried in his scalp. She was tugging on his locks and driving him wild.

"Juggy… ah…. Jug," She tried to get his attention, gasping with want.

He was too enthralled by the naked woman under him to respond with words, and instead looked up to see her face. She was staring at him seductively as his teeth grazed her nipple once more.

"I need you" she whimpered.

"Tell me what you want baby." He mumbled, mouth still focused on her chest.

She clenched her thighs together at the use of the nickname for the second time that night. Baby, she liked the way that sounded. "You… I need you." She admitted.

He released her nipple and trailed kisses upward once more, coming back to the bruise he left and lightly kissed the abused area, proud of his mark on her perfect skin, part of him wishing it may never fade away.

Jughead tutted his tongue and pulled back. "Baby, you need to tell me what you want." He leaned forward and pressed his hips into hers, relishing in the delicious pressure. "Be specific", he said once more in her ear and Betty felt her thighs clench together again.

"Touch me… Juggy. Please just … just, touch me." She begged, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Betty wasn't inexperienced, per se, but her minimal experience had been very plain by most standards, and Jughead's change in demeanor in the bedroom was turning her on more than she ever thought possible.

Jughead's hand hovered over her center as he asked, "Here?"

Betty bit her lip in response and moaned, "yes".

He slipped a finger between the lacy undergarment and was struck by how soaked she was. He did that to her. Jughead Jones made Betty Cooper wet. For the second time since this began, he felt as if he could have come right there, but decided to regain his composure while making her lose what was left of her own.

Jughead's long fingers worked in and out of her at a slow and steady pace. Each stroke eliciting a new sound and each sound driving him further forward. He captured her mouth just as she came undone for the first time that night. He worked her through her high and was surprised to feel her press her heel into his back harder, pushing his hips into the area his fingers just were. He knew what she wanted – god, he wanted it too—the wine washed away any hopes of inhibitions and Jughead gave into the teenage fantasy he had been nurturing for over a decade.

"I want you", she whispered into his ear, "I want all of you. Tonight" and with the final statement, any rational thought Jughead may have had, went out the window.

She eagerly pulled his boxers down, glad they were in equal states of undress and their lips crashed together. The kiss was all teeth and tongues as they both rubbed against one another in anticipation. He lined himself up at her center and looked at her once more, wanting confirmation, one more time, that this is what she wanted. She nodded and he plunged into her.

They found an easy rhythm with one another, pushing and pulling in perfect cadence. It was natural, the way their bodies molded together and moved in synchronicity. She chanted yes, and more, as he panted in her ear and nipped on her pulse point.

He crashed his lips to hers again, needing to taste her, and lifted her hips upward to give himself better access. With the new deeper angle, he knew he wouldn't last long. She must have felt the same way because her pitch increased with each stroke and he could feel her walls begin to tighten. He was slipping further and further and brought his thumb to circle her bundle of nerves, hoping to sync her release up to his own. She tightened hard on him and he emptied himself into her simultaneously.

Jughead collapsed on the bed next to Betty and wrapped his arms around her. Neither said a word, afraid to taint the ambiance, instead they simply laid in each other's arms. Betty's breathing evened out in a matter of minutes and he knew she was fast asleep. Jughead followed swiftly after, lulled to sleep by the security he felt with her wrapped in his arms. The last thing he thinks of, hanging in the corner of his mind, was that he could get used to this.

Rays of sunshine streamed through the small opening in the elaborate hotel curtains. Betty awoke with a pounding headache. She was resting on Jughead's chest and she tried to recollect the events of the night before. They finished at least one bottle of wine, that much she knew. The ache she felt between her legs gave her another hint, and as she became more lucid, it all come rushing back. She remembered the way Jughead had been so gentle with her, taking his time and appreciating every inch of her body, but she also remembered him taking control, making her his own, marking her. She was getting turned on again reminiscing and decided she needed some fresh air. She untangled herself from their compromising position, managing not to wake him, and slipped on workout gear and runners.

They were heading back to the city today after brunch at 10:30 with Archie and Veronica. The hotel's checkout time was 11, so she decided she should pack their bags and leave them by the door. She debated leaving a note for Jughead – ran out, be back soon xoxo—No, she thought, maybe that's too much. Mulling over the hypothetical note, Betty decided she didn't know what to say. They got drunk the night before and slept together, until they talked about what that meant, she wasn't sure how to even address him. Was he still her fake boyfriend? Was he still her best friend? Would they become more? Would he want them to be more? She decided to forgo the note altogether, opting for the more plausible option of waking him up herself, freshly showered, after her run… that would be ideal, she decided, slipping out of the room.

She knew Riverdale well, even after being gone for years, and found herself running toward the river. The crisp air was working to clear her head, but all she could think about was how different everything was going to be today.

She knew last night she wanted him, she had decided to tell him about her feelings, but the way he was looking at her and the intoxicating effect his presence had on her derailed those plans. Oh no! she thought, they slept together, and she still wasn't sure how he was feeling. Thinking back on their interactions over the weekend and the weeks prior, she couldn't help but feel a kernel of hope that what she has been feeling, he has too. They had been dancing around each other for the better part of their lives and this thought kept pestering her – if he really did want her, why hadn't he ever said anything? It's not like they didn't talk frequently, it's not like they both didn't date, so if he really did feel that way, why didn't he ever try to pursue her?

Less than 24 hours prior, she was sitting in front of Alice Cooper and the insecurities the visit had awoken, came back full force, knocking the wind right out of her. Of course he doesn't like you Betty. You are the one who suggested the practice. You are the one who initiated the contact the night before. Yeah, maybe he kissed you by the river, but you were freaking out. Her internal monologue sounded suspiciously like her mother and she sank to her knees on the soft bank of the river. She pressed her fingertips into her palms to clear her mind. It wasn't the healthiest coping mechanism, but over the years she had adapted. She no longer needed to press them so deep her palms bled, not most of the time anyway. So she continued the blunt pressure, not breaking the skin, and steadied her breathing. Just talk to him, see how he reacts. What's the worse that could happen? The last thought sent her spiraling, crushing any progress she had already made to compose herself. What was the worst that could happen? He may not feel the same way, maybe it would be too awkward for them to be friends again, maybe they would never even speak again…that was the worst thing that could happen, she thought. The absolute worst.

Betty couldn't think of anything worse than Jughead not being in her life, he had been a constant for so long she wasn't sure if anything was worth risking the security his friendship provided her. She glanced down at her hands, ashamed of the scarlet droplets littering the dirt. Uncurling her palms to assess the damage, Betty let out a sob and that menacing voice started chattering again. Why would he want you Betty? Don't you remember your last boyfriend, he told you the truth. You're crazy like your family, why would you burden Jughead any further? He's had it hard enough, you'd just be another problem. He – The damaging thoughts rooted deeply in her mind as Betty broke down, alone, on the bank of the Sweetwater River.

Jughead woke to a loud knocking at the door. Groaning and peeking at the clock he realized it was nearly 10 AM and shot up out of bed. The knocking continued but Jughead was suddenly disinterested. Remembering the night before, Jughead felt his heartbeat quicken at the sight of an empty bed next to him. Maybe she went to the bathroom? Maybe she's already up and dressed? Maybe she's making coffee in the lounge? With each possible scenario, he felt his heart sink.

Maybe she didn't want this, maybe she didn't want him, maybe she couldn't face him?The knocking resumed, louder this time and Jughead heard Archie's distinct voice. "WAKE UP JUG!" he nearly screamed. Jughead scrambled toward the door, realizing the entire floor may very well be awake from the volume of his friend's voice.

"About time" Archie huffed upon entering the room. Jughead was too distracted to process Archie's grief and slowly registered Betty was nowhere to be found. All of their bags were packed and sitting by the door, but the girl of the hour, was nowhere to be found. He felt his heart sink into his shoes and he was glued to the spot where he stood.

Archie snapped his fingers in front of his face a few times before Jughead registered what was happening. "Sorry, Arch…." He muttered, "I just woke up."

"I can tell", Archie teased. Glancing around the room, sensing Jughead's unease. "Where's Betty?"

"I don't know" Jughead replied, more to himself than Archie and felt a pang in his chest. "I don't know" he repeated, and Archie raised his eyebrows in his direction.

"Hey, Jug…" He grabbed his friend's shoulder and squeezed gently. "Veronica just wanted me to get you both so we weren't all late for brunch. Betty's probably already there anyway. She's never late to anything. Plus, they're ready to take our bags down."

Jughead regained his composure and nodded as Archie's hand fell away. "Yeah, uh… just give me a minute to get ready."

He grabbed his suitcase and walked back into the bedroom to get ready for the day. He paid extra attention to the surfaces, scanning for a note that wasn't left to begin with, each glance turning up empty.

Betty didn't know how long she had been at the river. She knew it had been much longer than she anticipated and suddenly remembered Jughead asleep in their room. "Oh my god." It came out as a whisper, as Betty covered her mouth with her hands. She didn't leave word for Jughead. He must be worried sick. If he's not up yet, they'll likely be late for their last brunch in Riverdale. Her phone told her it was 10:27 and she shot a quick text to Veronica, telling her she would be a little late and stood up to collect herself. She debated texting Jughead as well but couldn't quite figure out what to say. Mulling it over for a few long moments, she shut off the screen and put it away. Nothing she could think of was sufficient on paper and the theme carried through to the electronic medium. No message could say what she needed to tell him, so she put her phone away and started heading back.

Betty walked to the local pharmacy and bought a simple first aid kit. She ducked into the bathroom and scrubbed her hands, letting the water run until it was no longer tinged pink. She bandaged her hands, as she had done so many times before, carefully ensuring the bandages were entirely on her palms, out of sight, and fixed her ponytail. For having an anxiety attack alone by the river for god knows how long, she could have looked worse. The cool air calmed her reddened skin on the way to the pharmacy and she thought she might just be able to fool everyone into thinking the barely there blotches were a side effect of the long run.

Betty walked into the restaurant, still in her running gear, and found their table. Archie and Veronica greeted her warmly, and when it was time for her to turn toward Jughead, she noticed him staring at her freshly bandaged hands. Neither Archie nor Veronica seemed to notice the tell-tale bandages, but she should have known she wouldn't be able to hide anything from him.

Jughead stood to greet her and gingerly grabbed her hands, pulling them up to his lips. He carefully kissed her knuckles and looked upward through his lashes to catch her gaze. The way he was looking at her made her want to burst into tears right on the spot. She held it together, however, and sat down to join the group.

Later, on the ride back to the city, Betty's skin was numb atop her knuckles. Jughead hadn't let go of her hand since the restaurant and she was grateful. He was running his thumb, protectively, over the same patch of skin. She could almost see the thoughts running through his head and instantly felt guilty.

She knew they needed to talk, but her incident by the river made her begin to question her decision to come clean to him. What's the worst that could happen? The notion had been bouncing around in her head for hours… days, really, if she was being honest. As the doubts and uncertainties filled her head, she felt him squeeze her palm gently.

Betty turned to look at Jughead and was caught off guard by the look he was giving her. She hadn't seen him wear this particular expression before and she wasn't sure what to identify it with. Pity? Empathy? Understanding? Hurt? She knew she had hurt him that morning and was eternally grateful he was being as supportive as he was right then. Betty squeezed his hand back and shifted closer, resting her head on his shoulder for the remainder of the ride into the city. She dozed off about an hour south of Riverdale and only woke up when Jughead gently shook her shoulder.

"Betty, baby, get up" he whispered into her ear. Still groggy and feeling weighed down by the weekend, she woke up and gathered their things.

Once they parted ways in the hallway from their respective best friends, Jughead shut the apartment door behind him and took a deep breath. He turned around slowly, trying to figure out where to go from here, and caught Betty's looking at him with a foreign expression.

Clearing his throat, Betty started talking before he could form the first word, "Listen, I meant to leave a note this morning. I just wasn't really sure what to say. I just went out for a run, I was feeling overwhelmed and Riverdale has some of my favorite trails. I wound up at the river and had an anxiety attack." She said all in one breath. Betty took another deep breath, preparing the remainder of her monologue, and was relieved he didn't attempt to say anything. "I kept thinking about last night. I kept thinking about how different everything is going to be now and I really don't want that. I know I pushed you, I know that I started the practices, and I know I'm confusing you. I don't mean to. I just don't know if I'm ready for everything to change. You've been my constant for so long and I can't lose that. Not now." Betty couldn't meet his eyes, staring downward, shuffling her feet. Tell him you want him. Tell him you want him more than anything in this entire world. Tell him you're scared, scare of losing him, scared of changing everything. She couldn't form another word, as if everything she could possibly say had been uttered already, even though she knew otherwise.

Jughead didn't respond for a long period of time. He simply nodded as she ripped his heart wide open and said she didn't want anything to change. She pushed him? No, surely he pushed her. This was his idea to start with. Maybe she felt bad for him. Maybe she couldn't pretend anymore. Didn't she want him last night? Maybe it was a one time thing.Felling overwhelmed by the what ifs and maybes, Jughead decided to call it a night. "It's all good Betty, I knew a long time ago it was better to be your friend than nothing at all. Trust me, I'll be fine..." He didn't elaborate any further, knowing Betty was smart enough to read between the glaringly obvious lines in his response. He walked slightly forward, until there were mere inches between them, and she stared up at him. He wanted to kiss her –God he wanted to kiss her—but instead simply leaned forward and placed a brief kiss on her forehead, squeezing her shoulder slightly and bidding her good night before holing up in his room until the sun came up.

Betty stood frozen to that spot. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she processed what just happened. She's the one who told him she wasn't ready, she thought she was, but this weekend proved that maybe she was crazy, and he shouldn't have to bear her cross. He deserved better than her, she thought. He deserved happiness, and how could she possibly make him happy if she was so lost on her own. No, she thought, I can't be who he needs me to be. I'm not good enough.

Jughead sat in the room across the hall, with his door closed, furiously typing away. His sniffles were muffled by the sound of the typing keys and he wished he hadn't felt so inspired in that moment. Betty didn't want anything to change. That's fine. He had developed his coping mechanisms years ago, he simply needed to deploy them once more. He meant what he told her. He always thought it was better to have her in his life as a friend than not at all, and if she didn't want him the way he wanted her, he could live with that. He just needed time.


	6. The New Normal?

**Wedding Countdown: 4 weeks**

Jughead had been actively avoiding Betty for the better part of two weeks. He knew it was childish, but he needed time to rebuild his walls. They were carefully constructed over the years, only to be broken down in a matter of weeks. He knew if she didn't want this, he couldn't let himself cross that line again. He just needed time. Time to reacclimate to boundaries and time to process his crushing disappointment.

Avoiding Betty had been easy, he stayed up later than her and woke up after she was gone most days. He kept to himself in his room and didn't share the living space with her at all. He had taken to getting all of his meals out, knowing the kitchen area could result in the inevitable run in he was trying so desperately to avoid.

He turned down invitation after invitation from Archie and Veronica for various nights both out and in. His heart couldn't handle it with the wound so fresh, so he bought time, saying he was sick, or had upcoming deadlines he couldn't work around. He knew he wasn't ready to pretend he was her boyfriend again, especially not in front of an audience who knew him too well. They easily believed the charade because they saw the way he looked at her, the same way he always had. You couldn't fake the adoration he exuded for her and it translated without effort to his best friends. Just as, he knew, his heartbreak would if they examined the situation too closely.

Excuse after excuse had been working to get him out of the invitations, until tonight. It was time for cocktails with the wedding party, and Jughead knew this event had been planned for months (years, if you count Veronica's prep). Veronica had been pestering them about attending through a group message thread, the only place Betty and Jughead had interacted since that Sunday night two weeks ago in the kitchen. There were only four weeks and one day to go before the wedding, and Jughead knew the events were coming fast and furious until the big day. It was Friday, two weeks after their return from Riverdale, and Jughead was buttoning up his black dress shirt, preparing for the night ahead.

Betty was in her own room, running her hands over the black pencil skirt she selected for the evening's events. She decided on a cream colored long sleeve sheer shirt with an over-sized black bow tied around the collar. She ran her fingers along her collarbone, hidden by the shirt, and remembered the light mark, now only barely visible, and where it came from.

She hadn't really seen him since their conversation nearly two weeks ago, a glimpse here and there, but nothing more. She knew her words had hurt him, and she tried easing the pain by minimizing her presence. They did live together, which made it infinitely more complicated, but Betty worked around the complication by spending more time away from the apartment. She buried herself in work, as she always did best, and volunteered for every extra assignment she could get her hands on. The time had flown by, but her heart hadn't hurt any less.

When she told him she couldn't lose him, she meant it. However, the last few weeks it felt as if he was already gone. She knew something irreparable happened between them and she just didn't know where to go from there. He had texted back in the group chat, jovially, confirming their presence tonight – together. She hadn't wanted to be the one to respond, knowing the way he felt was most important and giving him the chance to get out of it. Deep down, she knew their freeze out would need to be rectified, but she didn't want to push him any further; already feeling as if they were hanging on by frayed threads. Betty shook her head, breaking her train of thought as she caught herself pressing her nails into her palms. Not tonight, she thought.

She was sitting on the couch waiting for him, idly scrolling through channels, not especially interested in anything, when she heard his door open and close. She was afraid to turn around, afraid of what she would see. Other than the passing view of his back entering or exiting his room, she hadn't seen him in far too long. Curiosity got the best of her and she turned around to take a peek. He shoved his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet.

"You ready to go?" He asked to the ground, and Betty nodded. She was struck by the way the shirt he chose gripped his biceps, he way his leans hung low on his hip bones and the way that one unruly curl fell in front of his forehead when his beanie was absent. She was struck by how handsome he looked and quickly averted her stare.

She realized he hadn't seen her response and cleared her throat as she moved toward the door. "Uh, yeah. We should still make it in time if we head out now."

She heard his feet shuffling behind her and took it as a sign to keep going. They trudged out of the apartment, crammed into the elevator, and walked down to the curb, without touching once. They maintained their distance from one another until they arrived at the bar. As Betty slipped inside the door, she felt his hand land on the small of her back. It alarmed her and she stopped suddenly, just inside the entrance. He must have assumed she was scanning the room, looking for their party – but Betty was trying to regain her composure. Time had softened the memories of the fire his touch lit inside of her. It was easy to soften the edges of the need she felt with each touch, when they hadn't even said a word to each other in twelve days. However, being so close to him, feeling his hand through her blouse, was making her dizzy.

Veronica and Archie spotted them and waved them over to the section blocked off for the event. The entire wedding party was there, with their significant others, and Betty was feeling anything but social in that moment. Jughead's hand was burning against her skin and she needed space.

She stepped away from him, politely greeting everyone she saw and settled into a seat toward the back of the area, hoping for some space to clear her mind. Her solitude was short lived, though, as Jughead came to sit next to her. She looked over to see his face and was met with a stoic expression. She was always so good at reading him that the change in his demeanor broke her heart.

Betty could tell he was being cold with her and Jughead wasn't sure how else to act in that instant. If he dropped the façade and tried to regain a sense of normalcy, he knew his exterior would crack. He had worked so hard to contain his emotions and shut himself off. It was a tendency he was familiar with and had effortlessly deployed more times than he could count. Why then, was this any different? He thought his walls had been braced up enough to withstand a single night in her presence, but when he saw her on the couch, he knew he was playing with fire. She told him she didn't want things to change, he had to keep reminding himself. The lingering memory of the way her body moved with his own breaking though his barriers. Maybe it was too soon for them to be around each other again, the thought alone breaking his heart.

Both Jughead and Betty sat in the booth, as the silence between them stretched, not nearly as awkward as it could have been due to the loud music and cacophony of noise coming from inside the bar.

The silence between the two of them, however, piqued Veronica's interest and she casually waltzed over to their table. "Trouble in paradise lovers?" she jokingly took a stab in the dark.

They looked at each other for a moment, debating how to address the elephant in the room while still maintaining their 'fake status'. "Yeah, V. I told him to iron this shirt, and as you can tell – he didn't" she said playfully, toying with the collar of his shirt, meeting his gaze, begging him, with her eyes, to go along with it.

"Yeah, you know me and laundry don't mix. Let's be real, I have like two shirts I wear on a regular basis." He laughed while responding, tossing his arm across the back of the seats and pulling her to him. The forced nonchalance apparently believable enough for Veronica.

"Ugh! All of you boys are the same, thank god for dry cleaning services, because my Archiekins is just as inept at laundry as I am." She laughed, seemingly satisfied with the explanation. Only Veronica Lodge could proudly proclaim her ineptitudes in all things domestic without batting an eyelash. At least she was aware of her own faults, Jughead thought to himself, not all of us are that lucky.

Their act worked well enough that Veronica wanted to join them, she claimed to want a 'breather' from the large group. Veronica and Betty were neck deep in wedding conversations about hemlines and bridesmaid dresses, cake coloring, and seating charts before Archie joined the group.

Jughead registered, for a moment, how familiar it all felt. The only difference being Betty under his arm, otherwise this exact picture could have been taken in Pop's in high school, or in their second-rate diner in the city during their college years. He was lucky, he thought, to be surrounded by the people he cared about the most, life-long friends were a rarity and he silently thanked whatever power in his life had made these connections possible.

Veronica soon tugged Archie away to the dance floor and they both tried to coerce the other couple into joining. Betty and Jughead politely declined and resumed the unsettling silence they were in prior to Archie and Veronica's arrival.

"Listen—" Betty started, pushing herself further away from him, trying to create space, hoping to force clarity. "I—I just—"she couldn't make the words come out the way she envisioned and shook her head. "I'm really sorry Jug."

"It's fine" his inflection clearly portraying a different truth. "We need to keep up the charade for four more weeks and then we're all clear." He never once met her eyes, both of their gazes downcast deciding how to fill the silence next best.

"Yeah, then we're all clear" she echoed, despondently.

Cheryl, another one of Veronica's bridesmaids approached Betty and tugged her away. Veronica, becoming more inebriated by the moment, requested all of her bridesmaids to the dance floor for dancing and shots. Betty agreed, needing to put as much space between Jughead and herself in that moment as possible. She remained with the other bridesmaids for the rest of the evening and soothed her aching heart with entirely too much alcohol.

Jughead and Betty were supposed to walk home together, as normal couples would. However, when last call rolled around and she went looking for him, he was nowhere to be found. Betty was three sheets to the wind and wandered aimlessly around the bar, turning up empty each time. She felt someone place their hand low on her back, and couldn't help but smile, she was sure it was Jughead and in her current state, she couldn't pretend she wasn't longing for his touch.

She turned around to be met with a pair of vaguely familiar brown eyes. Chuck Clayton, one of Archie's groomsmen, was the owner of the hand sliding lower and lower with each passing second. When he slid his palm down the curve of her backside, she shoved him hard, in the chest, effectively separating themselves.

"Geez, Coop! Calm down!" He seethed, inebriated as well, clearly bothered by her apparent rejection.

"Calm down? Oh come on Chuck, I remember high school… You've always been a tool. Do. Not. TOUCH. ME." Betty's voice grew louder with each syllable.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… I was complimenting you baby." He tried to coax, quickly turning venomous with his next words. "I should have known you were just as crazy as the rest of your family."

With that one sentence, Betty saw red. She brought her hand up within centimeters of his face and was surprised when someone caught her wrist.

Jughead heard Betty's voice through the crowd. She disappeared from his vision a while back, but he was certain she was still with the girls. Nearing last call, he had stepped out for a cigarette, needing to mentally prepare himself for the remainder of the night alone with Betty. After snuffing it out and wandering back inside, he caught a glimpse of her on the far side of the bar. She was standing with someone and Jughead became enraged as he saw the man's hand glide lower and lower on her. His feet were moving before he even decided what he would do. He heard the exchange and his rage boiled over as he stepped in between them. Jughead caught Betty's hand in his own and moved her to stand behind himself. Once he was certain she was safely out of harm's way, he turned around and his fist collided with Chuck's smug grin.

A collective gasp was heard throughout the bar and Jughead turned on his heel, gripping Betty's hand and pulling her out of the bar. He could sense her imbalance, probably due to the sheer amount of alcohol she had consumed that night, and brought her to his side. She paused on the street, forcing him to face her, and swiftly leaned up, placing her lips at the corner of his mouth. "Thank you, Jug. I just need you to know, at least once…. I lied" she whispered against his cheek. She quickly pulled away from his face and resumed her position leaning into his side, requiring his support in her current state.

Lied? Jughead kept replaying in his mind, he wasn't sure what she lied about, he ran through scenario after scenario and couldn't figure out what it could be. He knew what he hoped she lied about, but until he was certain, he wouldn't let himself get his hopes up, not again, not so soon after the last time.

He guided her back to their apartment, carefully ensuring she put one foot in front of the other. Once inside the elevator, he felt her begin to fade. He lifted her up and drank in the feel of her arms wrapped around his neck and her head on his shoulder. He could feel the soft skin of her legs on his forearms and he knew this was a bad idea. The walls he so carefully constructed were long gone and his feeble attempt to reinforce them was in vain.

They entered the apartment, Betty still in Jug's arm and he walked toward her room. Placing her gingerly on the bed, still in her pencil skirt and loose blouse, he went to the bathroom to grab Advil, then to the kitchen for a glass of water. Almost as an afterthought, he decided to make her a few pieces of toast, she could eat them if she was up to it and hopefully counteract the liquid diet she had been on that evening. As he returned to her room, he froze in the doorway. She was fast asleep, her skirt pulled up higher than intended, her hair no longer tamed, and her chest heaving up and down rhythmically.

Jughead decided then and there, boundaries were overrated. He knew Betty well enough to know her internal struggles. She never did want to accept the good things in life, not for herself anyway, and he longed to be good enough for her, despite Alice's comments. He knew this would be an uphill battle, he knew it was a long shot, but her confusing confession and the feel of her lips on the corner of his own, solidified his decision. He wasn't going anywhere. He knew she may take more time, but he was willing to wait. Hell, he thinks, I've waited most of my life already. After having Betty Cooper, he knew he was ruined—no other woman for the rest of his life, could possibly compare.


	7. Picking Up The Pieces

**Wedding Countdown: 4 weeks**

Jughead awoke the next morning to Betty knocking at his door. He glanced at the clock and groaned at the early hour. They hadn't even stumbled home until after 2 am and he wasn't sure how she could possibly be awake after less than seven hours of sleep. "Coming" he grumbled into his pillow as he pushed himself off the bed. He swung the door open before realizing he was only wearing a pair of boxers and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "What is it Betty?" his flat tone catching her off guard.

"Uh…." She stuttered, captivated by the sight of his prominent hip bones and the way the hair traveled down from his navel to the hidden area under his waistband. "Um," she repeated, averting her gaze to refocus her thoughts. "I just wanted to say thank you… for last night…..with Chuck and… and… everything else"

He could tell she was nervous and couldn't help but find her adorable. She lied, he thought again, feeling clearer on the subject matter of said lie. "Of course, Betts." He replied easily.

She wasn't sure what else to say, she didn't have a plan when she knocked on his door, she simply wanted to express her gratitude for his actions the night before. Her memory was fuzzy for the most part, save for a few clear snapshots – Jughead punching Chuck, Jughead carrying her into their apartment, the way his arms held her—then she thought a little further back. She remembered apologizing to Jughead, his disinterested response, fine she thought. That's the second time he had labeled himself as fine in regards to their arrangement. Fine…. Fine…. Fine? She wasn't fine. She was a mess. Last night, being so close to him, not being able to touch him, feeling her resolve crumble, she had needed to escape. Each drink she consumed took her mind further and further away from the troublesome topic and she found herself drunker than she should have been and feeling invincible. Even after his cold response, he still defended her. Jughead still stood up for her to Chuck and still made sure she was home, safely, with Advil, toast, and water. He didn't have to do any of that for her, especially after her treatment and rejection a few weeks before, but he did. She knew that he always would. She knew she was fighting an uphill battle and she had grown weary of ignoring what was so obviously happening between the two of them.

Betty had been battling with her decision since the minute the words 'I just don't know if I'm ready for everything to change' tumbled clumsily out of her mouth. Everything had already changed hadn't it? It certainly felt different. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to occupy the same room as him and not think of the way his touch set her skin ablaze. She knew every time she looked at him, she would be staring at his lips, thinking about the delicious pressure they applied to her own. Her mind wandered further and further and Betty found herself at a loss for words.

"Also…", she wasn't sure exactly what she wanted to say but she also wasn't sure how much longer she could be quiet. Willing the words to come out of her mouth, but still unable to figure out what they would be, Betty opened her mouth and then proceeded to close it.

Jughead raised his eyebrows and tilted his head slightly, silently egging her on. She looked up and locked eyes with him, "I'm sorry, again", she faltered, and stared down at her feet.

Fully expecting him to respond politely with a don't worry about it or his trade mark I'm fine, Betty was caught off guard with, "What did you lie about Betty?" She vaguely remembered telling him something like that last night. Her memory was still fuzzy, but she was tired of fighting it, tired of lying to him, and tired of lying to herself.

"Us" she whispered.

Jughead's head snapped up so quickly she thought he might have gotten whiplash. "What?", he breathed, willing himself to remain calm.

"Us… Jug." She saw the edges of his eyes soften and his lip quirk up in a lopsided smile. "I lied about us." She said a bit more quietly

"How?"

They were both still standing in the doorway, him in his boxers, Betty already dressed for the day. "Um… Jug, listen I… I really do want to talk about this. But, um" she hesitated, trying to stare at anything other than his half naked body in front of her. "Can you please get dressed first?"

His lopsided smile transformed into a full blown grin before he nodded and wandered into the room, grabbing a pair of pajama pants to throw on. Walking back toward the door with his bottom half covered, he noticed Betty raise her eyebrows in his direction and tilt her head. "What?" he teased.

"Shirt too, please" she tried to say with a straight face, but couldn't control the smile that broke out across it when he winked at her before going back for a shirt. Once both of them were fully dressed, Jughead sat on the edge of his bed, patting the space next to him for her to join.

He anxiously waited for her to say anything at all, each passing second felt like time stood still before he finally broke the silence, "So, you lied."

She took a deep breath and nodded, still trying to formulate the proper way to go about this. "Yes, I did." She shifted slightly and angled her body toward his. When she looked up and their eyes met, she decided fuck it. "I did lie. I said that I wasn't ready for this to change. I said I didn't want things to be different. For us to be different." She held his gaze the entire time, watching as he sat in silence, afraid to break her train of thought for fear of where it could derail. "I lied about that. I lied about not wanting things to be different, this different… maybe… I don't know… maybe it could be good. I mean, change is scary, for me especially. But the more I thought about all of the reasons not to do this, the more I wanted to, the more I wanted you. Yeah, a part of me wasn't ready for things to change, but a much bigger part of me realized as soon as you kissed me the first time on that couch… I changed… and… and how I looked at you changed. So that fear of change I had been harboring, it was pointless, because it's already different between us." He didn't respond right away and she so desperately wanted him to. "Right?"

Jughead could see the wheels turning in Betty's head, knowing all too well her mind would begin to wander with worry if he didn't speak up soon. He couldn't, however, utter a single phrase. He was too awestruck by the words that had just left her mouth. Just last night he was vowing to himself to wait as long as it took, less than 24 hours never would have been his guess.

Rather than respond with the words he couldn't currently formulate, Jughead reached his hand forward and linked their fingers together. Their gaze never broke as he leaned in and placed a soft, experimental kiss against the corner of her lips. When she didn't pull away, he went in for another one, this time he brushed his lips against her own and waited for her reaction. She leaned into him and brought her loose hand up to his chest, pressing her lips against his once more. His head was spinning from the unexpected declaration and all he wanted in that instant was her.

He turned his head slightly, deepening the kiss, and before they knew it their soft innocent kisses had transformed into heated, messy, needy ones. His fingers were buried in her waves, tugging slightly to disconnect their lips. He trailed kisses down her neck, needing more than anything in that minute, to taste her. He could barely see the mark he left the last time they were tangled up in each other and decided it needed to be refreshed. He sucked vigorously at the spot, feeling it bruise under his lips and she gasped at the pressure. Her fingers tugged at his hair and only once he was fully satisfied the mark was sufficient, did he allow her to steer his lips back to her own. He turned inward further and gently pushed her back until she was laying flat on the bed. She scooted up toward the pillows and he swiftly followed, laying his body flush against her own.

Betty reached down and ran a finger along his waistband while they kissed languidly, remaining connected, the ebb and flow of the kisses becoming more reverent as she pushed his pants and boxers down his legs. "I thought you wanted me dressed", he teased.

She leaned upward and whispered in his ear, "Not anymore" and he couldn't get his pants off fast enough. Jughead tugged at her clothes and they quickly discarded any barriers between the two of them, each stitch of clothing laying together in a heap somewhere in the room. With the last piece of clothing being discarded, he descended on her once more. He captured her lips and reveled in the delicious heat radiating from her core. He was pressed against her, his arousal painfully erect. Betty reached between them and guided him into her.

Part of Jughead wanted them to take their time, he wanted to cherish every inch of her body, make her beg him for more. He wanted to positively ravish her, but with each needy whimper in his ear, Jughead slowly cave and sunk into her fully. He stilled and let himself indulge in the feeling of her heat fully surrounding him. He was pulsing with need and walls were fluttering from the contact. She gasped against the shell of his ear and his cock twitched inside of her.

"Jesus Christ, Jug", she panted, "move". It came out sounding more like a plea than anything else and Jughead never could deny her. He slowly drug himself out, nearly losing all contact, and slid all the way back in deeply. Betty threw her head back against the pillow and he swallowed her moans as his lips enveloped hers.

It started off slow and sensual, but their lingering need from two weeks without this, after just finding it, consumed them both. As soon as the pace picked up, Betty dug her nails into his back and unraveled embarrassingly quick. "You feel fucking amazing, baby" he whispered to her, unsure if it would be drowned out by her own pleasure. Her eyes met his, and he knew she heard him. He tested the waters and pushed a bit further in, "Does that feel good, baby?". She nodded swiftly and moaned loudly 'yes'. He was consumed by the sight of her and knew he wouldn't last long if this continued.

"Can I try something with you, baby?"

"Anything", she breathed. He pulled out of her, needing to collect himself before it was all over too fast and gathered both of her wrists in his hand. Betty felt the sharp contrast of his large calloused hands wrap around her delicate wrists as he brought them over her head. Jughead pushed her hands down into the pillow, effectively trapping them and leaned his body against her own. He trailed kisses down her neck, past her collarbone, and settled his affections on her breast. He swirled his tongue around her peak and she writhed beneath him. He continued working one side until she was panting heavily, she arched her back to him, silently begging for more. He moved onto the other and used his free hand to trace the curves of her sides. He reached her hips and trailed his fingers gingerly toward her center.

"Please" she said without being prompted and Jughead looked up at her, still nipping at her nipple.

They had only done this once before, and definitely not like this, but she already seemed to know what he wanted. He wanted to make her beg and that one word was like his personal kryptonite falling from her lips. He trailed kisses upward, nipping at her collarbone.

"Please what, baby?" He teased, running his fingers along her hip bones, kissing the side of her neck.

She twisted her wrists within his hands and he grasped down more firmly.

"Please what, Betty?" he said a little more firmly, his posture stiffening on top of her. He silently commanded dominance and Betty could feel the throbbing between her thighs at the sight. She twisted her wrists within his grasp again, attempting to break free, wanting to touch him. She was torn, part of her wanted to be commanded, to do what he said; another part telling her to rebel, what would he do? She was so turned on she couldn't think straight and knew she needed to find release.

"Touch me…." It came out as a whisper more than anything else. She was looking straight at him and he quirked his eyebrow, telling her he needed to hear something more. "… please?"

He complied and worked her with his fingers, causing her to reach her high once more, raising her hips to chase his fingers as they pulled out of her. She attempted to break her hands free once more, she was burning up with the insatiable desire to touch him, and he shook his head, tightening his grip. "Let me touch you", she leaned up to kiss him and he pulled back slightly. Raising his eyebrow again, Betty realized what he wanted in an instant. "Baby, please, let me touch you" It came out breathier than she expected but was quickly rewarded by him releasing her hands.

Jughead was hovering over her and knew if he let her touch him he wouldn't last long. He already had to break away once, ensuring she was more than sated, before he found his own release. Before she could reach for him, he sunk into her again. Feeling the pressure of her swollen sex wrap around his own arousal. Betty clawed at his back, attempting to expel ever iota of energy she had pent up while being restrained. Knowing neither of them would last long, the pace increased. Chants of 'yes', 'more', and 'oh god' mixed with his moans as they unraveled together, both entirely spent.

They laid together, still connected, on his bed for a long time. Silence not uncomfortable for either in those moments. He ran his fingers up and down her spine while she traced patterns onto his chest lightly.

"I've never done anything like that before" she spoke first.

"Me either", he caught her gaze and she felt the blush seep onto her cheeks, unable to hold back the small smile trying to break through.

"I liked it" she whispered again, smile still adorning her blushed stained cheeks.

"Me too", he said as he pulled her upward to connect their lips.

She broke away from the kiss for a split second to whisper against his lips, "Good"

Betty didn't know how long they laid in his bed, casually caressing one another, neither feeling the need to say a word, simply enjoying the shared space until the shrill ring of her phone popped their bubble.

V flashed across the screen with a string of emojis after it and Betty wandered out of the room to answer it. She knew they needed to talk about the night before with Chuck.

As Jughead laid back on his bed, he replayed the morning's events over and over again in his mind. It was true he had never done anything like that before, but he definitely wanted to do it again. And again, and probably again. He was insatiable for Betty Cooper and he laughed to himself at the thought of not needing to worry about believability any longer.


	8. The Monster Within

**Wedding Countdown: 4 weeks**

"Yes, V, I know." Betty paused, "I already told you, it's still four weeks away. He'll heal by then. Calm down. No, I'm sure it's fine. – Yes, I'll be fine", she emphasized the last word exasperatedly.

Jughead wandered into the living room, searching for Betty, she had been gone about twenty minutes already and all he wanted to do was be near her. He had thrown on a shirt and a pair of boxers, and apparently Betty grabbed her pink plush robe from the bathroom based on his current line of sight. Knowing there was nothing separating her smooth skin from the robe, Jughead's need to touch her consumed him.

He sank down on the couch next to her and began to attempt distracting her. She cocked her head to the side and let out an exaggerated sigh accompanied by an eyeroll, clearly meant to convey she was ready for the conversation to be over. He ran his fingers inside the collar of the robe and brought it down to slide slightly off her shoulder. Jughead's fingertips ghosted over the smooth skin on her shoulder and he placed a light kiss atop the mark he so carefully curated earlier. His lips found purchase on her pulse point and he heard a moan trying to escape her throat.

Betty gasped and placed her hand over the phone, "Jug… she'll hear us."

He nipped lightly at her collarbone as she brought the phone back up to her face and heard the sound of Veronica's voice still going on about how the wedding pictures will be ruined if Chuck doesn't heal in time. "Hey, V… I have to go but I'll call you back later." Betty cut in and hit the end button before Veronica had a chance to respond.

Two can play this game, she thought, threading her fingers though his hair. Their lips crashed together in a heated kiss.

After a long few minutes, Jughead pulled back and rested his forehead on hers, "I missed you" he breathed against her lips before gently connecting them once more.

"I didn't go far. Veronica was checking on me, making sure I was okay after Chuck groped me last night and you punched him."

A grin spread across his face in remembrance and he grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips. He pecked the top of her knuckles and looked up from her hand. "I was defending your honor."

"I appreciated it." She said earnestly and returned his easy smile. "But, we should have known as soon as V found out I was okay she'd have to make it about the wedding. So for the last twenty minutes she's been telling me about all of the replacement candidates for Chuck in the wedding party."

It was Jughead's turn to roll his eyes, "Of course, her pictures have to be perfect" he said dramatically.

"Anyway, she apologized 1,000 times for his behavior and told me if I wanted him out, he'd be gone in an instant. I told her it was no big deal, I could take care of myself. He always was a creep anyway, but no reason to uproot the groomsmen, I can just avoid him for the next few weeks. Then she told me how – and I quote—" she said bringing her fingers up to signify air quotes "incredibly sexy it is to watch your boyfriend stand up for you."

Boyfriend….shit…. She hadn't meant for the recollection to come out as a sort of inquiry into their status she felt him freeze in response the second the term was uttered.

"Boyfriend?" he prodded, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah…. Uh… of course she'd call you my boyfriend" Betty attempted to recover, "that's what we've been telling them for the last month, it only makes sense she'd call you that."

Her logic—flawless as always—made him panic in return. She's right… he's the one reading into it, not her.

Betty sensed his frenzied thoughts and gently squeezed his hand, attempting to capture his gaze. "I mean, is that something you might want?"

"Is it something you want Betty?" Jughead had wanted Betty for the majority of their lives, if she was willing to take that step, he needed her to be crystal clear about the intention. Their talk last night made it abundantly clear she wanted something, but was it too early to label it?

"Yeah…yes, it is." He didn't respond to her with words, instead sliding his thumb across the apple of her cheek, cupping the back of her neck with his fingers, he brought her lips to his and gently pressed against them. That kiss wasn't like any they had previously shared. She brought her hands up to mirror his own, cupping each other's faces, and they melted into each other. Both of their grips tightening, it began to get heated between them once again. They didn't wind up leaving the apartment at all that day, constantly in states of undress, exploring each other.

Two weeks passed by in a breeze, Veronica was getting more worked up as the big day loomed, poor Archie trying his hardest not to get in her warpath. Betty and Jughead had been enjoying the newness of their relationship. Betty hadn't slept in her own bed since the night she came home drunk from the bar. Opting instead to cultivate the intimacy between them that came with sleeping together. She was learning every inch of his body and he was becoming well versed in what drove her wild.

It was Friday night and Jughead was just returning to the apartment from work. He had just received a major assignment at work—a much more serious piece than he had gotten before—and was in the mood to celebrate. He could hear yelling before he unlocked the door, entering cautiously with arms full of their dinner, Jughead realized she wasn't in the main room.

The shrill sound of Alice Cooper's voice broke through his thoughts as he realized Betty must have been in her room. Other than getting some clothes here and there, she hadn't been spending time in her room, so he found it strange that she would retreat there. Jughead became worried when the voices suddenly ceased, not hearing any notable closing remarks. He quickly unloaded his arms and knocked softly on her closed door. He heard her sobs and without waiting for a response, he turned the knob and entered the room.

Her phone was on her bed, in front of her, flashing the end call screen as tears streamed down Betty's face. "I told her I quit the internship at the Times." She sniffled. This was news to Jughead and he encircled her in his arms, laying her head down to rest on his shoulder as he held her close. He wanted to ask questions but decided they could wait as her body shook while she sobbed. He rubbed her back gently, feeling her palms safely pressed against his back and whispered affirmations that it would be okay in her ear until her eyes ran dry.

She pulled back and cupped his face, bringing him closer for a long, thorough, appreciative kiss. "I was going to tell you tonight", her voice sounded weak, still strained from the persistent sobbing. "I got another job offer today. My favorite editor from my college paper got promoted at the Post and he offered me a paid position."

"That's great, Betts", Jughead said enthusiastically. He knew her writing was incredible, it always had been, and for the Times to overlook her talent and keep her relegated to internship duties – including but not limited to coffee runs, running copies, and any other grunt work another employee needed—was unfair to her. Especially in the recent months when other interns had been promoted and she continued with the mundane tasks. She was given an assignment here and there with other reporters, but never her own. She landed the internship about a year ago and was thrilled at the time. Her excitement waned as the months rolled by. She had been coming home exhausted, going in early and staying late, the entire time. Jughead had never commented, knowing Betty's dream was to be a writer, not wanting to taint the chance she had earned at just that. But he had noticed her spark for writing dwindle within her slowly over the last few months they had been living together, nearly extinguished lately.

"My mom doesn't seem to think so." She huffed, her head still buried in the crook of his neck, afraid if she moved, she may just fall apart. "She lectured me on the literary differences in the publications and felt the need to tell me I would never get as much respect as a writer for the Post as I would at the Times."

"All that matters baby, is that you're happy. It's your decision, not hers."

"Actually Jug" she paused, "It's our decision. I haven't accepted it yet. I wanted to talk to you about it first. I don't even know why I brought it up to her to be honest. She just happened to call and I was really excited, I knew I shouldn't have said anything." The tears began to well up once more and Jughead pulled her back when he felt the moisture seep through this shirt.

"Don't blame yourself Betty. You did nothing wrong." His voice was firm and soothing all at the same time, and she knew he was right, but that didn't stop the voice embedded deep in her head from finding her own faults in the situation.

"I know" she conceded, placing a light kiss on his lips.

"Betts…" he knew he wanted to say something, but couldn't grasp the right words in the moment. "You've got to do something about your mom."

Betty suddenly pulled back, the loving atmosphere broken by his suggestion. "And what exactly should I do about this Jughead" she replied venomously.

He knew he hadn't said that properly as soon as the words left his mouth and he drug his hand over the side of his face, letting out a long sigh. "That's not how I meant for it to come out."

"Sure, but that's what you're saying, right? I have to do something about this. Don't you think if I knew what to do I would have already done it?" She was raising her voice in time with her body as she moved away from him, "I have been trying to do something about this my whole life. You of all people should know that, you've been there. Just because you're my boyfriend now doesn't give you the right to criticize my actions or tell me how to deal with my family." The last word hit Jughead with a physical force. Family was always a sensitive topic and for her to exclude him from that, no matter how new this was, struck him. They had been in each other's lives far too long to be anything other than part of a chosen family.

Jughead reached for her, attempting to bring her closer when he saw her palms curl inward. "Betty, that's not what I meant. I just mean that you're incredible, so who cares what she thinks? You need to stand up for yourself. I know you're strong and I know you're capable. You need to –"

She cut him off as she walked out the door, "How about you stop telling me what I needto do. You and my mom both seem to think you know what's best. I'm tired of being told what to do. I thought you would be different."

The door slammed and Jughead covered his face in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. "fuck" he exhaled. He sat there for a while, contemplating what to do next. He half expected her to come back in, to work on it, but when she didn't reappear after a while, he went in search of her.

She hadn't gone far, Betty was sitting on the couch, with her knees pulled up to her chin silently sobbing. He spotted her hands spread out around her shins and breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wasn't harming herself over what he said, he thought. Her tears were cascading down her cheeks when she turned around and met his eyes. He quickly walked over to her and pulled her into his lap, forcing her to accept his comfort.

"I'm sorry", he whispered as he kissed the crown of her head. "I didn't mean for it to come off like that. I know you're capable of making your own decisions. I wasn't trying to direct you. I just want you to see what I see sometimes." Jughead placed a finger under her chin and tilted her face toward his own. "You're strong" he punctuated the thought with a kiss, "and brilliant" another one followed, "and wherever you decide to work, they'll be lucky to have you." He kissed her once more. "I know—like you said—better than anyone what you've been dealing with from your mom. I'm not trying to push you to hurt you, I was pushing you because I care, Betty. Don't you see that?"

She silently nodded and he continued, "but having you with me, as my ally, means everything to me. So I want to support you, in whatever you do. Whether that's talking to your mom, or starting a new job, or being unemployed." He laughed, "I just want you, in every way you'll let me."

More tears spilled onto her cheeks as she brought their lips together. "Thank you" she sighed before settling into him once more, needing the comfort of his arms to keep herself centered.

"Take the job if you want it Betty, all I want is for you to be happy, that's all I've ever wanted." He whispered into her hair.

She nodded against his chest in response, knowing it wasn't a direct request, but an opened ended suggestion, "I really want it, Jug"

They both knew Alice would be at the wedding the thought weighing heavy on both of their minds. They also knew they would be spending a few extra days in Riverdale before the big day, per Veronica's request. Neither of them, however, know what would happen the next time Betty came face to face with her mother.


	9. Expressions

**Wedding Countdown: 4 days**

Betty was packing their suitcase for the upcoming trip. For the first time, they were traveling together as a couple. Their bathroom bag contained both of their belongings and they shared suitcases. Something about the domesticity of it all excited her. Just as she was zipping up their last bag, Jughead wandered into the room, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Thank you, baby" his breath on her neck left goosebumps in its wake. He dropped a light kiss to her shoulder before turning her around to face him. "I know this weekend is a big deal—in more ways than one. So… I just wanted to do something nice for you." She looked at him, confused. "Follow me." He tugged on her hand and led her into the bathroom. A small gasp left her mouth as she took in the sight before her. Candlelight bathed the otherwise darkened room and a steaming bath had been drawn.

Betty felt her heart wrench in her chest. A warmth filled her, one she had become accustomed to over the last few weeks. She turned to face him and crushed her lips to his, bubbling up with gratitude, hoping to expel it. "You're amazing, I don't deserve you." She mumbled against his lips.

Jughead wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. Her body was flush against his own as he squeezed tighter, closing distance that was only present in the smallest crevasses between them.

"If anyone is undeserving here, it's me. I wanted to apologize… for our talk… about your mom. I know you're going to be seeing her again this weekend and I just wanted to let you know—I support you." He leaned back to rest his lips on her forehead, barely ghosting the skin when he spoke next. "Whatever you decide to do—talk to her, don't talk to her, whatever it is that you want to do – I support you." He punctuated the sentiment by pressing his lips to her forehead, feeling her melt into him.

"I want to talk to her." Her voice came out as uncertain as her decision. "You were right, so I think I should talk to her."

"Your water's ready" he whispered, causing her to break away from their embrace.

"Join me?" she asked, tugging on his arm, urging him to following.

They stripped off their clothes and sunk into the bath. She rested her back on his chest and when his arms circled around her, she laid her own over his. They sat in the bath until the water became too cold to bear, wrapped in each other's arms, breathing each other's air, savoring the intensity of the moment.

When they got out of the bath, their embrace broke for only moments at a time. Being so close to one another for an extended period of time without barriers had both of their bodies buzzing. They fumbled and fell into what once was his bed, but had recently become theirs, and it was all teeth, tongues, and fervent touches after that.

Once they were both thoroughly sated, much later than they should have been wrapping up, they drifted off to sleep enjoying their last evening of solitude before the hectic weekend to come.

Veronica, Archie, Betty, and Jughead again found themselves on the road to Riverdale together. The last few weeks had flown by. Betty decided to accept the position at the Post and started within a few days. She had been buried in her work, enjoying the recognition that came from a job where your voice was valued. Her name already made a byline and save for the impending time in Riverdale, she couldn't have been happier.

After their talk last night, Jughead and Betty were more solid than ever. She had been thinking about asking him to go with her to see her mother the next day. There was a break in their schedule between the wedding party's welcome brunch with the early arrivals and the rehearsal dinner's pre-celebration cocktail hour, where both Archie and Veronica's families as well as the entire wedding party would be present.

Veronica reserved the same couple's suite for their trip as she had the time before. Betty and Jughead got settled in, the importance this very room had on their relationship not lost on either of them. This time, however, they both put their stuff in the bedroom and there was no guise of separate sleeping arrangements.

Betty immediately began prepping for their dinner engagement, pulling her dress from the garment bag, she entered the bathroom and stayed there for over an hour. She put the finishing touches on the soft waves she carefully laid over her shoulder to one side, pinned up on the other, and applied a thin layer of gloss to her lips. Betty chose to wear a soft pink dress with a scoop neck. There was a layer of delicate lace, the same color, that covered the entire dress from the hemline that fell midthigh to the cap sleeves that showed off her tones arms. Looking over herself once more in the mirror, Betty exited the bathroom.

Jughead was sitting in the lounge area, flipping through the hotel provided channels when he heard the bathroom door close and rose to greet her, stunned when she came into view. Her golden blonde hair was highlighted by the light pink dress she chose. Her legs were on full display and he contemplated coming up with an excuse to avoid this dinner all together – opting instead for a night in.

He was broken from his thoughts by her soft voice, "What do you think?" she grabbed the sides on the bottom of the dress and fanned it out for effect, slightly swaying from side to side.

Her eyes met his when she looked up after a prolonged silence and she immediately knew he approved. His pupils were blown wide and his eyes were darkening with each stride he took in her direction. As soon as she was within reach, she was in his arms, their lips melding together, each breath they took full of each other's essence.

"Can't we just stay here tonight?" he teased, running his lips along the column of her neck.

"I wish", she breathed, lost in a moment of ecstasy as his tongue ran along her collarbone. Betty pulled herself away from him, separating his lips and her skin before he left a mark. "Jug, we've been so good the last few weeks. You know Veronica will kill me if I have a giant hickey in her photos." She pleaded, knowing if she didn't control herself, she would wind up right down the same rabbit hole with him.

"Uuuugggghhhh" he moaned loudly, knowing she was right, but wanting Betty badly enough to consider dealing with the wrath of Bridezilla for a split second before deciding better of it.

Her skin was unmarred when they arrived at the restaurant, a victory in the column of Jughead's self control. They joined Archie, Veronica, Hermione, Hiram, and a few of the other members of the wedding party at an elaborate dinner. Leave it to the Lodges to turn the rehearsal dinner into a two-night affair. They, of course, weren't labeling this as the rehearsal dinner, but Betty wasn't sure there would be much of a difference. Each person took a turn during dinner, speaking of their elation for the bride and groom and wishing them a lifetime of shared happiness. Betty and Jughead filling in the speech framework with personal stories from their shared histories. It was easy conversation for the remainder of the evening and they were both feeling the effects of the champagne when they stumbled back into their room.

Betty shut the door behind her and turned to find Jughead backing her up against it. He grabbed her wrists and brought them above her head. Securing them in a single hand against the door and trailed a finger down the line of her jaw. "Fuck baby…" he growled, "I've been wanting to take that dress off of you all night."

She felt her knees go weak at the timbre in his voice. Jughead forced his body flush against hers and brought a jean-clad knee up to rest between her legs, applying slight pressure as her breaths began to quicken.

"So do it" she spurned him on.

A deep rumble erupted from his throat and he increased the pressure of his knee, slowing moving it to create a circular motion. She began panting and Jughead tightened his grip on her hands, forcing her flat against the door.

"Patience" he groaned as her arousal began to seep through the lacy layer covering her center, he could feel the heat through his jeans and his cock twitched inside the confines of his clothing.

"Bed" he commanded, releasing her hands and stepping back. She scampered away from the door, entering the bedroom and began unzipping her dress.

"Did I say you could do that?" his serious tone caught her off guard and he paused in the room's entry way. Betty froze mid zip and turned to face him.

"No", she replied, not sure if he needed one at all.

"That's right, I didn't." He was still standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. She bit the corner of her lip and he twitched again, moving over to where she was standing. He stopped mere inches away from her, distinctly not touching, but close enough to feel her breath fan his face. "Do you want to play tonight, baby?"

"Yes," she replied breathlessly, already aroused from the authority emanating from him.

He cupped her face in his hands and countered her gaze with his own. "If you want me to stop, just tell me. Okay?" she nodded and bit her lip again, "I'm serious. I'm new to this too… and I want to explore this with you. So if it makes you uncomfortable – at all – just tell me. I need you to trust me." She leaned up to press their lips together again, knowing he wasn't enforcing anything yet, wanting to comfort him, reassure him she wanted this just as much as he did.

After a long few moments, they separated, placing the minimal space back between them and Betty uttered, "I trust you."

She saw a switch flip within him, his eyes darkening by the second, and the sweet caring boyfriend she had come to know taken over by a version she had only glimpsed once before. Jughead ran his hand up along the curves of her waist, barely touching the thin fabric. "Good. Turn around."

Betty did as he asked and turned on her heel, facing the bed she could feel him diminish the distance between their bodies as he wrapped his arms around her waist and hauled her back up against him. She could feel him through their layers of clothes and subconsciously clenched her thighs together.

"I told you earlier," he placed a light kiss on the crook of her neck, "I've been wanting to take this off all night." He kissed her skin again, fanning the flames of lust that were already burning from the inside out.

He pulled the zipper down, still peppering light kisses between her neck and shoulders. Both of his hands came up to rest under the fabric covering her shoulders and he slipped it off, causing it to pool at her feet on the floor. Betty was in nothing but a light pink lacy bra and matching cheeky underwear. Jughead growled loud and deep against her skin and she involuntarily reacted by grinding her backside against where he craved it most.

She was stunned when he suddenly broke contact and ceased his light caresses. Tutting his tongue, Jughead turned her around to face him. "Did I say you could do that either?" he chastised.

Betty was so turned on she couldn't form a single word, instead opting to shake her head.

"Speak up, baby." He placed a finger under her chin and refocused her gaze on his.

"…. N…no…" she barely managed to squeak out.

"Tell me, Betty… What should we do about that?" The firm lilt had returned to his voice and Betty was panting already, thinking of what would happen next. They hadn't gone far in the way of experimenting since their second time. They were still discovering each other and trying new things, but as his assertive side took root, she knew exactly what she needed.

"Punish me", she dared, batting her eyelashes at him, feeling empowered by his heated gaze. She could see his pupils darken and felt herself seeping through the thin layer of lace still covering her most sensitive spot.

Jughead was taken aback by this side of Betty. He knew the last time they experimented, it was explosive. Every single time he and Betty had slept together, it was always amazing—but there was something about this type of exploration with her that sent him to an all new high. He thumbed the flimsy strap of her bra and pushed it down, "Take this off and turn around".

She easily complied, feeling him once again pull her body flush with his own. Feeling the stark contrast of her exposed skin rubbing against his rough hands and rougher jeans was driving her wild. "Punish me", her words sounding more like a plea than an order had Jughead tightly gripping to his last thread of self-control.

Jughead guided them forward, leaning her over the bed, and rubbed his palm against the lace that seemed to be more for decoration than for use at the moment. Her arousal was slowly sliding down her legs and Jughead couldn't stand the pressure from his jeans any longer. He popped open the top button with his free hand and drug the zipper down, immediately feeling relief as the confines were expanded.

Betty turned slightly hearing the noise of his zipper being drug down. He had barely touched her and it was driving her crazy. Each featherlight touch leaving a burning trail of flames in its wake. She needed him and she needed him now. Locking eyes with one another she saw him draw his hand back slightly, missing the feel of his palm on her ass immediately. The delicious sting of the contact causing her to jerk forward and moan loudly.

"Again?" he dared, seeing her reaction. She nodded the tiniest bit and he connect his palm to her once more, slightly more forceful. She moaned again and he couldn't contain himself any longer. "Take these off" he instructed, toying with the waistband of the underwear.

Betty straightened up and did as she was told, thinking about disobedience at the same time…. Maybe next time she would say no? His gravelly voice tearing her away from her thoughts, "Get on the bed. Lay back on the pillows and put your hands above your head, together."

She did as he asked and sat perfectly still on the bed while Jughead dug around in one of the suitcases. Betty felt exposed, laying on the hotel bed without a stitch of clothing. The skin on her backside on fire and the sting of it causing her to clench her thighs together in impatience. He turned around with his black tie for the wedding in his hand and crawled between her legs, still fully clothed.

He wove the silky tie material around the spindles on the hotel headboard and brought her wrists into the fold. Wrapping the tie around several times and tugging on it to test its strength, he pulled back to look at her. "Is this okay?" he whispered, connecting his lips softly to the sensitive spot behind her ear.

"Yes", it's more than okay, she thought.

Jughead cupped her face in one hand, weaving his fingers into her hair and ran his thumb along her jaw—an interesting juxtaposition from the rough way her hands were bound above her head. He brought the other down just above where she was pulsing in anticipation for him.

"Please", she whimpered recalling the way his body visibly reacted from it the first time.

Without warning he slipped two fingers deep inside of her, thrusting in and out of her core at an aggressive pace. She writhed under him, tugging at the binds around her wrists. She ached to touch him and the need exploded inside of her, seeping from her instantly.

He guided her down, her chest heaving and legs shaking already. "Mmm…" he mumbled, placing kisses along her inner thigh, "you always come so quickly for me baby. But I need more this time." The demand serving as the only warning before his wide tongue swiped along her core.

"oh.. oh… Jug…. Ahh." She moaned as he continued the bruising attack on her core. He thrusted his tongue in and out of her as his thumb worked in tandem on her pulsing bundle of nerves. She came again, quicker this time than the last. He captured every drop of her arousal and when their eyes met again, the need on both ends was evident.

Jughead sat back and slowly pulled his jeans off, boxers following immediately after. He drank in the sight of her, completely exposed to him, and couldn't wait a second longer before shedding the last layers of clothing. His shirt was the last piece off and as soon as his arms were free, he scaled her body, settling over her.

He positioned himself above her and bucked his hips, spreading her arousal against his length, dispersing the natural lubricant. She was still panting from her two previous orgasms and whispered 'please' again, spurning him into action.

Jughead buried himself inside of her as he crashed their lips together. Their heady breaths mixing between the bruising kisses. This wasn't like most of their intimate moments, they didn't want soft, she was begging for him to be rougher and he happily complied. He pulled back up onto his knees and gripped her hips roughly, sinking his fingers into the soft flesh adoring her hip bones. He relished in the idea of knowing that even though Veronica was very strict about not having marks in her photos, she would never know if they weren't visible. On his knees, Jughead lifted her hips to meet his waist and relentlessly pounded into her. Betty praised him with 'yes', 'more', and 'just like that' until he felt himself nearing release. He could feel her walls flutter around him and within seconds they were falling apart together, no need for extra stimulation.

He reached up and untied the binding around her wrists. Betty immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and brought their faces together, resting her forehead against his own. Her breath was hot against his lips as she spoke, "You, Jughead Jones, are incredible." Their lips met in the middle and they grasped onto one another, staying tangled up together for the remainder of the night.

The same group from the dinner the previous night attended Veronica's mandatory brunch. She went over the rest of the wedding party (including Chuck, who had thankfully been absent thus far) and their arrival times, ensuring everyone would be accounted for before the rehearsal dinner that night. Brunch was a lengthy affair, ending well after 1 pm and Betty's internal clock ticked toward the looming confrontation with her mother.

As they exited the restaurant, hand in hand, Betty turned to face Jughead. "Come with me… today… I want to go see my mom." She squeezed their hands where they were still connected and waited with bated breath for his response.

"Betty, you don't have to do this for me. If it's—" she cut him off with a reassuring kiss.

"I want to do this… for me, Jug… for us." Her candor shining through her eyes, "and… I want you with me… when I do. Please?"

"Anything for you, Betts." She kissed him once more, in gratitude, and pulled out her phone to order an Uber.

They pulled up to the picture-perfect Cooper household within minutes and Jughead could sense her anxiety rising. "I'm serious Betty… you don't have to do this, okay?" he lifted his eyebrows and ducked his head, to ensure she caught his stare.

Instead of responding verbally, Betty pushed her lips into his forcefully, much like their first kiss, this one was not long, but thorough. They were both attempting to convey their support and gratitude between the pushes and pulls of their lips.

"I'm ready" she whispered against his lips.

Alice answered the door, a surprised expression painted on her face. "Well, well, well… I wasn't sure I'd be seeing you again before the ceremony tomorrow." She feigned ignorance to the fact that their last conversation ended in shouting two weeks ago. Betty hadn't returned any calls since and the eerie way Alice was acting like nothing was wrong, caught them both off guard. "Come on in"

They all took a seat in the living room. Alice in her favorite lounge chair and Jughead and Betty on the loveseat adjacent to it. "Listen mom, this isn't a social call", Betty started and Jughead slipped his hand into hers, a sign of solidarity. "I'm an adult now and I know that's hard for you to accept, but I need you to take a step back from time to time. The last time I was here, you were so far out of line it wasn't even funny. When I called you, and told you about my new job, you flipped out for no reason. You didn't even know at the time, but I hadn't accepted it yet." She could see her mother tilt her head questioningly to the side, but mercifully remained quiet. "I have now, I've been working there since right after we talked and I love it. I guess what bothers me the most is that you don't care about how happy my decisions make me. You only talk about how it will affect everything else. My job, for example, you felt the need to criticize my opportunity without ever considering how much I hated where I was. My happiness didn't matter to you… doesn't matter to you… and that hurts me."

Her mother's eyes softened and Betty leaned into Jughead for support, knowing he was there, with her, gave her a sense of calm, even when she was knee deep in the rough of this conversation.

"Betty…", her mom attempted to respond, a softer tone than most had ever heard from Alice Cooper.

"No—you don't get to talk yet. I am **not** done." Betty's voice was firm, finding strength in Jughead's presence beside her. "You need to apologize. You need to apologize to me and you need to apologize to Jughead. The last time we sat in this house you told him he didn't deserve me and you couldn't be more wrong. I am the one who doesn't deserve him." She turned to look at Jughead, still speaking to her mother. "He's incredible mom. Yes, he was a serpent, yes… he has a history, but he knows me better than anyone ever has and he gets me in a way I only hoped someone would one day. He's incredibly sweet, painfully honest sometimes, and the kindest person I have ever met… and I am the lucky one to have him." Tears formed in her eyes as her gaze remained fixated on his. In that moment, his expression was one of complete vulnerability, she couldn't help herself but to lean forward and lightly press her lips against his, feeling centered for a second before realizing she was still in the middle of her speech, and turning back around to face her mother. "So, in reality, mother. You are the one who doesn't deserve me."

Just like their last exit from the Cooper house, Jughead felt himself being tugged up by their joined hands and lead out the door. He knew Alice said something to them as they were leaving, but couldn't make it out over the sound of the blood pumping through his veins. In that instant, he loved her more than he ever had.

They wandered away from the house, hand in hand again, and wound up at Sweetwater River. His vice like grip on her hand only broken when they both sunk down onto the bank—him cross legged facing the water and her settled sideways in his lap. Jughead snaked his arms around her and thought about what to say next, debating on the selfish route of asking if she meant what she said or the selfless route of asking if she was okay. He was equally curious about both but knew he needed to put her needs before his own. "Are you okay?", he implored.

"I feel really good actually, Jug. I mean it. I know it didn't come out the way I had been practicing in my head." She laughed and he squeezed a bit tighter, "but I think I hit 100% of the cliff notes." They shifted until she was facing him, her legs draped to either side of his hips, "Thank you… for being there for me today. Thank you for always being there for me. I don't know how I would have done it without you." Her voice so low he had to strain to hear it.

"Always" he breathed and enveloped her lips in his own. They slowly made out on the bank of the river, both of their need growing as their groans mixed with the sounds of nature. It felt as if something clicked into place for them there, at one of their favorite spots as children, in each other's arms—Jughead felt like he had finally come home. Riverdale never was truly his home, neither was New York—It was Betty Cooper, he surmised—she had been his home all along.

They settled comfortably into each other when the kiss broke and remained tucked against one another for what felt like hours. Betty's phone vibrated in her back pocket and they both jumped at the sensation. Giggling, she answered, "Hey, V….. Yes, we'll be there in a few…. Yes, I will be ready in time for dinner…. Yes I brought the black one… Okay… Okay…. Bye" She hung up the phone and eyed Jughead, wondering what he had gathered from the conversation.

"The black one?" he queried with the quirk of his eyebrow and a slight tug of his lips.

"Yes… the black one", she challenged with a wink. He would see soon enough, she thought.

Their Uber pulled up to the hotel with 45 minutes to spare before the cocktail hour for the rehearsal dinner. They both got ready separately, to reduce the time, and met in the lounge area 5 minutes before they needed to leave.

"The black one?" he questioned again, this time knowing the answer.

"Yes… the black one" she smiled. She was wearing a basic black strappy dress with one distinctive feature, a plunging neckline. The cut in the middle stopped just north of her navel and her ample cleavage was on full display, making his mouth water.

"I like the black one", he assured what his eyes had already given away before pulling her into him and fusing their lips together. She only pulled back when she realized what time it was and they ventured downstairs to meet the rest of the wedding party.

Cocktail hour was uneventful and they entertained each other by people watching, making up the contents of the strangers conversations to one another, laughing privately and enjoying each other's company. If they thought the dinner last night was long, they were ill prepared for the event that Veronica's actual rehearsal dinner was. Chuck was present but they had been actively avoiding him. He was seated at the opposite end of the table and they ignored his presence every chance they got.

As it was winding down, Betty felt her phone vibrate. Alice Cooper flashed across the screen and she was curious to know what her mother could possibly have to say. Pointing to the screen, she mouthed be right back to Jughead before stepping out into the hallway. She was about to answer the call when she heard the same voice that should have been on the other end of the phone instead, at the end of the hallway.

"Betty, we need to talk." Her voice carried an air of disapproval so thick, Betty could taste it.

"No, mom. We actually don't." Feeling emboldened by Jughead's reassurance and the earlier run in, Betty stood her ground. "I love my life… I really do… I'm happier than I've ever been, I love my job, I love my apartment, I love the city I live in, but most of all…. I love Jughead. So, if you have anything negative to say about a single aspect of my life, you can save it… because I love the life I've built and I'm tired of you tearing it down." The words rolled off her tongue smoothly before her brain caught up to her mouth.

Betty decided whatever her mother had to say, must have fallen under the negative category, because her mouth remained welded shut, her piercing gaze hinting at her disapproval. "I'm done mom. I'm, honestly, really done. So please, don't contact me again. You were always the one to tell me 'if you can't say anything nice… don't say anything at all.'" She walked back to the private room where the dinner was being held, pushing it open forcefully and was surprised to find Jughead standing just on the other side of the door, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Oh god, did you hear any of that?" she asked, already knowing the most likely answer.

"Uhh… yeah… some of it… I did." He mumbled, unsure of how to address the gravity of his overheard observations.

Her heart rate sped up and she waited for him to say something, anything, but was met with awkward silence. "and…?" she said quieter, prompting him to respond.

"uh… and… you did good. I mean… uhm… great… you did great." He lamented, knowing she wanted more. He wasn't ready to tell her that he loved her too, not in the doorway of their best friends' rehearsal dinner. Their entire relationship had been backwards, kissing before talking, sleeping together before being together, and he wanted to do something the right way—she deserved this to be done the right way.

"Oh…. Uh… okay… I mean… thanks" she quickly added and they both wandered back to their seats for the remainder of the dinner, listening to everyone's toasts and making their own toward the end to their respective best friend's marriage.

Betty kept wondering if he heard her declaration of love. She hadn't meant to slip that in there, but after she said it, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. She loved him… she was in love with him…and if he heard it… he didn't say it back. Her negative thoughts began to take over her mind when she felt his fingers interlock with her own, bringing her back. He placed a light kiss on her forehead and all she could think about was hoping he hadn't heard it…maybe he wasn't ready.

Betty and Jughead wandered back up to their room, the weight of their current circumstance weighing on both of their minds. She rattled off the itinerary for the following day, they would be apart for most of it until the ceremony itself. Archie and the groomsman would be getting ready together while Veronica would be surrounded by her bridesmaids during the final preparations. Betty would be joining the girls at 8 am sharp for mimosas and manicures before spending the rest of the morning being primped and pampered for the remainder of the day. The ceremony was supposed to start around 3 pm with the reception at 6 pm.

Betty hadn't brought up the encounter with Alice again, afraid he heard more than she intended and rambled on about the following day attempting to divert his attention from her to the big day tomorrow.

As they climbed into bed together, Jughead wrapped his arms around her and drug her across the sheets until her back was flush against his front. He leaned down and placed a warm, wet kiss on her neck. He had known most of his life that he loved Betty Cooper, but hearing the words leave her lips had shocked his system in a way nothing ever had before. Love was a strange feeling for him, unrequired love being the only kind he had previously known, but the pressure building in his chest every time they touched, every time they kissed, was nearing a boiling point. Knowing she would say those three words back to him when he was ready put a lot of pressure on the moment in his mind. Betty deserved the best of everything, including this rite of passage. As if she could hear his racing thoughts, she reached her hand up to tangle in his hair, urging him to continue.

He placed delicate kisses along her neck, ensuring no mark was left, and slid his hand around to palm her chest. She twister her body to face him and their lips met in a bruising kiss. Gentle touches gave way to more heated ones, neither saying a word about the dinner events, choosing instead to express themselves through physicality. It was all raw, honest, emotion, no words needed when they both found their release without an inch of space between them. They fell fast asleep a long while later, still connected, completely spent, and still silent except for their whispered 'good nights'.


	10. These Bonds Shall Not Be Broken

**Wedding Countdown 0 days**

Early the next morning, Betty woke first, gently shaking Jughead awake. He groaned loudly, not ready for the crazy day to come, attempting to slip back into unconsciousness if just for another minute. "Wake up sleepyhead." She whispered against his lips before kissing them lightly. "Let's shower."

She was already off the bed, wandering toward the bathroom before he processed her words. He heard the water begin to run and got up quickly, still bare from the night before. She was already in the shower when he entered the bathroom and he slipped in behind her, running his hands along her shoulders before placing a kiss in the middle of her shoulder blades. "Am I dreaming?" he joked, only halfheartedly.

She spun around, knowing his deep-rooted insecurities and stared into his stormy blue eyes, "Only if I am." She knew he understood what she meant and saw his expression soften, no lingering humor in her response. In that moment, with his hands holding her firmly against him, she couldn't contain it anymore. She leaned forward and laid her head on his bare chest. "I love you", it came out lower than she intended, more of a whisper than an admission. She was nervous for his response, knowing he probably overheard the sentiment last night.

Jughead stilled for a split second, he wanted to do something special later that night before he told her. Betty always was quicker than him in most things though and when she professed her feelings, his plan slipped down the drain with his will to deny her anything.

He pulled her back from his chest and crushed his lips to hers before she could take another breath. Their tongues tangled with unbridled passion, sweeping in and out of each other's mouth with each connection, breaking only for seconds to gasp for air. He pushed her against the cold tile in the shower and she gasped into his mouth at the contact, driving him wild. It was fast, needy, and they both reached their high within minutes.

"I love you too", he echoed as he filled her. "God, I love you so much Betty. You don't—" she halted his words when her lips met his, firm, but soft, gentle, but heady. It was the perfect combination of lust and love and neither knew how much time had passed by the time they dried off.

Betty only had five minutes until she was supposed to be meeting the bridesmaids and used every second of it, save for throwing on clothes, to continue the dance their lips had been doing with each other for what felt like hours. "I love you, I love you, I love you" she giggled against his lips as they exited their room, kissing once more before heading to their respective locations.

"I love you too" he called after her one last time. Still shaking his head when he entered the Groom's suite Jughead found all of the other groomsman already there.

"Well, well, well, weirdo… What's got you so happy? Betty spread her legs for you this morning?" Chucks voice broke Jughead from his love induced stupor and before he knew it, he was standing in front of him, his fist connecting with Chuck's jaw with such force everyone around stood still. No one realized what was happening until it was too late and Chuck was leaning up, on the ground, with a hand cupping his jaw.

"What the fuck man? You're fucking psycho just like her. It was just locker room talk. Lighten the fuck up." Chuck spat, rising to his feet once more.

"Don't you ever fucking talk to me like that again. Don't say another fucking word about my girlfriend. In fact, don't let her name leave your lips ever again. Do you fucking understand me?" Jughead's voice was more menacing than Archie had ever heard, his frame towering over Chucks, emphasizing who was in control of the exchange. He knew his best friend used to run with the serpents, but he had no idea this side of him existed.

"Chuck, you need to leave." Archie stepped between the two. "You need to leave now."

"But bro…." he weakly tried to appeal, "It's your wedding, I'm your groomsman, I have to stay."

"Not anymore. You need to leave." Archie reassured. Veronica would just have to deal with them being one groomsman down, he knew she would agree once he told her the extenuating circumstances.

No one looked at Chuck as he gathered his things, "Fuck all of you. It was a fucking joke. Don't call me ever again, Arch… and good luck with that bitch of a future wife." He barked, only to be met with Archie's fist on the other side of his jaw.

"Fuck you, Chuck." Archie retorted, shoving him out the door.

"Look, bro, I'm sorry—" Jughead immediately tried to apologize. Archie shook his head cutting him off.

"No need to apologize, Chuck's an asshole."

"Sooo, I guess that means I need to go speak with your blushing bride?" he asked, dreading the response.

"Yep… you don't have to apologize… but you've got to be the one to deliver the bad news we're down a groomsman."

Jughead resigned with a nod of his head, knowing the Lodges were superstitious about wedding traditions anyway, the groom can't see the bride the day of the wedding at all. Jughead figured he owed it to her considering he was the reason there was bad news to begin with. "I've got it."

Jughead wandered over to the Bride's suite and knocked tentatively. He could hear the girls giggling behind the door and guessed they had already started on the mimosas. He hoped he would catch a glimpse of his girlfriend in her pre- wedding state but was greeted by Ethel Muggs instead, one of their high school friends, when the door opened. "Jughead?" she laughed, "What are you doing here?"

"Um… I need to speak with the bride."

Veronica came over to the door in a white fluffy bathrobe with the initials V.A. embroidered on it. "What's up Romeo?"

"We have a problem…" he uttered, effectively changing her demeanor in a split second.

"What the fuck, Jughead? Seriously? Please tell me Archie isn't missing and this isn't a bad fucking comedy plot playing out on the day of my goddamned wedding! I already disinvited Alice this morning—a HUGE social faux-pas, by the way—why would I possibly think anything else could be easy?" Veronica was visibly pissed and Jughead cursed Chuck for opening his fucking mouth.

"So listen…," he began, "Chuck said some shit about Betty and I punched him. Thanks for the Alice thing, too." He added as an afterthought, hoping fruitlessly that she wouldn't refocus on the first confession.

"Oh for fucks sake!" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I should have known to replace him the first time. He just couldn't keep his damn mouth shut for one day, huh? And as for the Alice thing, I don't give a shit if she's here. I'd take Betty over Alice any day."

Hearing her name, Betty appeared at the door, "What's going on?"

"Chuck said something and your boyfriend punched him… again, and I'm effectively without the preset number of groomsmen", Veronica summed up.

"Are you okay?"

Betty directed the question at Jughead, but Veronica answered before he had a chance. "NO! What am I supposed to do? Have one bridesmaid walk without a groomsman? Call one of the backups? It's too late." Veronica wailed.

"Are you okay?" she repeated, staring right into his eyes. He nodded in response and saw her visibly relax.

"Didn't you just hear me, B?! Of course, I'm not okay! I'll deal with this, go away now, I need to think." Veronica turned around and Betty lingered by the door for a minute. He could tell she was still in the process of getting ready. She was wearing a black robe with Maid of Honor embroidered on the back and her hair was already pinned up away from her face in beautiful waves that fell gently onto her shoulders. Her face was still bare and he couldn't help but lean in to kiss her.

"You look beautiful, baby" he whispered, "Now, hurry up. The sooner you're ready, the sooner I can kiss you again." He pressed his lips to hers and left, leaving her with a dumb grin plastered across her face and a blush tinting her cheeks.

"Oh… JUG!" she called after him, needing to say more before their prolonged absence.

Once he was in front of her again, she brought him up to speed. "I know you heard Veronica about Alice. I just wanted to let you know that she won't be here today. It doesn't matter what she wants to say to either one of us, I'm not ready to talk to her. So today, we can just be us—no crazy moms, no pretend relationships—just us—together—for real."

He wasn't planning on asking about Alice until after the night wound down, knowing Betty would have told him eventually. But when he saw her inner strength shine through at the mention of the self imposed boundary, he felt pride bloom in his chest. Maybe she was beginning to see what he always had in her.

Jughead cupper her face and pressed a light, lingering kiss to her lips, "Betty Cooper, I love you."

"Jughead Jones, I love you, too."

Jughead, Archie and the rest of the groomsmen were ready just in time. They wandered down to where they would all enter the chapel and assembled themselves as the music started. Archie wore an all-white ensemble with a black tie. His groomsmen were in all black. Veronica deemed that the wedding party would be all black and her and Archie in all white. She called the motif classic and he was hard pressed to argue the allure once he saw Betty in another black dress for the second time in as many days. This one was strapless and form fitting up top, flaring slightly from her hips to where the fabric met the floor. He was rendered speechless and recalled the first time she wore her black pajama set around him. Black was definitely Betty Cooper's color, he thought again.

He noticed the bridesmaid count decreased by one and asked Betty who was cut out. Apparently, Veronica's solution was to sacrifice her youngest cousin's spot, citing the height difference between her and even the shortest groomsman was troublesome anyway. She was only 12 and didn't seem to mind being excluded from the ceremony, opting instead to mingle with the other kids her age who were in attendance.

The music started and they all filed into the chapel in order. Betty and Jughead walked together, the last of the bridal party and he squeezed her hand before releasing her to the left side of the stage. The bridal march started and everyone rose, Veronica was wearing a custom Vera Wang dress that probably cost just as much as the rest of the wedding combined. Jughead choked up when he saw the adoration in his best friend's eyes at the sight of his future wife. When she joined him up front, Jughead caught Betty's gaze and held it through the entire ceremony, sharing an intimate moment, in front of all in attendance, and no one was any the wiser.

Their photos were taken for a solid hour after the ceremony and Jughead's stomach was rumbling by the time they entered the reception after being announced together to the attendees and directed to the wedding party's table. They sat next to each other and enjoyed the meal, toasting the couple afterward with two different versions of well wishes and warm memories.

After the cake was cut, the dance floor opened and Archie and Veronica shared their first dance to one of his original songs. He wrote it for her back in high school and had achieved modest local success at the time. Music became more of a hobby than a career in the Archie's later years, but the song always held special memories for them both.

Once it was over, everyone was invited to join. Upbeat songs drowned out the other noise and Betty leaned back on Jughead, overwhelmed from the day, grateful to have a safe haven in his arms just then. Relishing in the comfort she felt his breath on her neck, "Do you want to dance, Betty?"

She laughed lightly, knowing it wasn't exactly something he wanted to do. "Do you want to dance Jughead?", she countered.

"If you mean do I want to hold you in my arms while music plays in the background, absolutely."

"Hmmm… who knew you were such a sap, Jug." She teased, earning a wink from him in return. Betty took advantage of his offer and pulled him up leading him to the dance floor. The song changed just before they found a spot and a slow ballad came on as she brought her arms to rest around his neck. He encircled her waist and they began to sway side to side. Betty laid her head on his chest and felt him press a kiss to her temple.

"Do you want this one day, baby?" he asked quietly.

"Jughead Jones," she scoffed with a faux air of protest. "I know you aren't asking me to marry you, at our best friend's wedding? Isn't that tacky?" she chided, trying to process if he was, in fact, asking her to marry him.

"No, I'm not asking you. Not yet, at least… but I know one day I will…" He placed a finger under her chin and brought her gaze to his, a smile spreading across his cheeks. "I'm just starting to plan the wedding in my head." His tone lightened, "I thought I'd take a page from Veronica's book—you know plan years in advance and obsess over every detail", he managed to maintain the serious demeanor until the very end when he winked at her.

"I love you" she laughed, knowing she wanted that too. "Seriously though Jug, let's not wait 8 years like them, okay?" she affirmed.

Jughead just nodded, pulling her back toward him, resting her head on his chest, he spoke again. "I'd wait my entire life to marry you Betty Cooper."

"Good thing you won't have to."

She squeezed him tighter and knew that one day this would be theirs. Maybe not as grand, maybe not as in depth, but one day they would have their own wedding and she knew that whenever that day came… it would be perfect—because it would be theirs.


	11. Everyone Loves a Happy Ending

Jughead finally finished the novel he had been tirelessly working on for nearly two years in June.

A publisher showed interest by July and the advance for the contract was paid before the fall.

Betty and Jughead had been together nearly a year by the time the first copies of the book arrived at their doorstep. She was busy at work, the Post job had been paying off and Betty was finally getting the recognition she rightfully deserved. When she came home from work at night, she wasn't exhausted like she had been at the Times; even when the days stretched into nights, she was genuinely happy.

Jughead stared into the box and plucked out a copy of his very first published novel. He flipped it over in his hands a few times, the weight of the hardcover and pages inside making it feel all the more real.

Betty and Jughead had grown much closer over the last year and if he hadn't known before that she was the one, he had daily reminders of the fact as the months rolled on. He wasn't joking at the wedding when he said he knew one day he would ask her to marry him. In truth, he had known longer than he'd ever like to admit. The progression of their relationship only deepened his resolve to make an honest woman out of her, and he found himself daydreaming about when she would finally be Mrs. Jones.

The only problem with his daydream being—he hadn't even picked out a ring yet.

He wanted the proposal to be a grand gesture. Everything about their relationship had been unconventional in the beginning and he wanted to give her the picture-perfect proposal he knew she had envisioned her whole life.

All of that started with a singular piece of jewelry and Jughead quickly made a decision. He tucked the book back in the box and took it over to his desk, sliding it underneath, hopefully out of sight, before grabbing his wallet and knocking on Veronica and Archie's door across the hall.

It was the middle of the day, so he knew Archie would be at work and Veronica would be working from home. She answered almost immediately and looked at him questioningly.

"What can I do for you Hemingway ?"

Jughead rubbed the back of his neck and he felt a blush rise on his cheeks. He should have known Betty wouldn't be able to keep a secret from Veronica. "So, I guess Betty told you I'd be getting the first copies of my book in soon?"

"Of course, she did! You should also know that I fully expect an invitation to the exclusive launch event next week."

"You'll get one, don't worry. Listen, Veronica, I need to ask you a favor and I need you to keep it a secret for me. Deal?"

"Well that depends, Jughead. What's the favor and who do I have to keep it a secret from?"

Jughead rubbed the back of his neck again, debating if he really needed her help in this before succumbing to the obvious answer that yes, of course he needed her best friends help to pick out the perfect ring for the perfect proposal.

"I want to propose to Betty—" His words were cut off when Veronica squealed loudly, something that vaguely resembled 'yes' before she leaped into his arms, hugging him so tight he wasn't sure either one of them could breath. They separated and Veronica beamed at him, causing a smile to spread across Jughead's face so wide he wasn't sure he could hide it if he tried.

"Anyway, um, you'll have to keep it a secret from her. We can tell Archie but he needs to keep it a secret, too. I know he has no poker face so I'll leave it up to you to tell him."

"Deal!" She squealed excitedly.

Less than an hour later, Veronica's town car pulled up in front of a jewelry store and she tugged him out of the vehicle and into the showroom. She tried countless times to explain the difference in the cuts of the diamonds. All Jughead registered, however, was that Betty wanted a princess cut solitaire.

Veronica and Betty had obviously spoken about this and Jughead was relieved she was there to help him wade through the hundreds of choices presented.

They settled on a 1.5 carat princess cut diamond wrapped in a simple white gold band. It was timeless and elegant, just like her,he thought. It cost roughly $5,000 and Jughead happily handed over his debit card, mentally thanking his publisher for the advance on the book. He was putting it to a good use, he thought, starting their life together the right way .

Truthfully, he would have spent the entire advance on the ring if he needed to. He wanted everything to be exactly right. It's what Betty deserved , he thought.

Jughead felt the weight of the velvet box in his pocket. The box held more than simply the ring he picked out the week before—it held the weight of a life changing decision, the weight of their possible future—all housed in a beautiful velvety box. Who would have known such a small piece of jewelry could feel as if it weighed a ton ?

He thumbed the box nervously in his pocket as they exited the restaurant. His book launch party had ended earlier and they went for a celebratory dinner afterward at a fancy restaurant close to the venue. Archie and Veronica knew what Jughead had planned for the night, and gracefully bowed out of Betty's spur of the moment invitation to join them for dinner.

He had it all planned out; the apartment was already prepared, thanks entirely to Veronica's swift exit earlier. He instructed her to litter every surface with rose petals. He knew she also put a bottle of champagne on ice in the kitchen and the finishing touch was the copy of his book. The same copy he had meticulously wrapped with an ostentatious bow earlier in the day and personally dedicated to her, both in print and with pen.

He wanted her to walk into what felt like a dream. It was only fitting , he thought, to make the experience as surreal as possible for her. She was always his dream and he wanted to live up to the one she had crafted in her head since childhood. She deserves everything under the sun , he thought, starting with a proposal she would never forget and he wanted to be the one to give it to her.

As the elevator rose, Jughead could feel his heart thumping hard against his chest. He knew how he wanted the next few hours to go, but he was nervous it wouldn't live up to his expectations.

When the apartment door opened, Betty's hands rose to cover her mouth as a small gasp escaped.

"Oh my god, Juggie!" She spun around with tears in her eyes and threw her arms around his neck, tugging him close, eliminating any space between their bodies. He relished in the feeling for only a moment before turning her back around and directing her to the display with the book. He hadn't let her read it yet. He claimed she would be his harshest critic and he wanted to see how the book was received publicly before he let her look at it. After all, she worked for a publication. In all reality, he hadn't wanted her to read it until this moment. He had this planned from the minute he finished the last chapter.

It was only fair for the book to be part of his proposal, it was after all, her story as much as it was his.

"Read it baby and when you're done come find me in the bedroom." He kissed her temple as she looked at him quizzically.

She leaned up into her tip toes and pressed her lips to his gently. "I love you, Jughead Jones." She smiled against his lips, wondering what else he had in store for their night.

"Betty Cooper, I love you. Now please go read my book."

Betty took the book to the couch, it was roughly 60,000 words and Jughead had figured with her ability to read north of 300 words per minute, she would be done in a little under four hours.

He busied himself signing copies of his book to send back to the publisher for as long as he could. When his hand began to cramp, he glanced back down at the clock and saw a little more than an hour had passed.

Jughead opened up his laptop and replied to various emails from news outlets asking for interviews and his publisher asking about his next book. Damn, we just launched one tonight and they're already chomping at the bit for another .

A few more hours passed and he heard the door knob begin to turn. His heart thumped furiously in his chest and his eyes grew wide when he saw her enter their room with the book clutched to her chest.

She was still wearing the dress from the launch party. It was a floor length gown in emerald green, just like her eyes, with a generous slit leading up to her hip. The dip in the front left little to his imagination and the way the silky material clung to her curves made his body involuntarily respond to her presence.

She inched forward one step at a time and came to stand in front of him.

"It's beautiful, Juggie. I loved every single word. I always knew you were an incredible writer, but this – this was so much more than just a great story, Jug." She paused and set the book down on the desk before threading their fingers together and tilting her head upward. "I see why you didn't want me to read it yet. It's about us, isn't it?" She questioned softly. Jughead nodded, all of his words jumbled in his throat, unable to escape. "I love it." She said again before pressing her lips against his.

The contact snapped him out of the love fueled haze he was temporarily adrift in and he refocused on the reason for the display.

Jughead kept her hand threaded in his own as he dropped down to one knee in their bedroom. Her eyes grew wide and she covered her mouth with her free hand before he spoke.

"Betty Cooper, you mean more to me than you will ever know. I wanted tonight to be perfect for you." he paused looking into her deep green eyes before continuing, "I know you hate that word, but I can't think of any other word that could possibly come close to describing you. You are perfection, Betts."

He could see the tears streaming down her face and nearly lost his nerve. He disconnected their hands long enough to pull the box from his pocket and flip the lid open, revealing the ring.

"What I'm trying to say is that I would be the luckiest man on the planet if I could spend every day of the rest of my life with you. Betty, would you do me the honor of marrying me?"

She reached forward and pulled him up so they were nose to nose. Her head bobbed up and down for a split second before she crushed her lips to his in a bruising kiss. The natural push and pull they always had was urgent, needy in that second as he lost himself in the way her mouth moved against his. He would never grow tired of the heat that pooled deep inside of him every time they touched. She pulled back, catching her breath and Jughead chuckled.

"So, is that a yes?" He asked, hopefully.

"Yes, yes, yes Juggie. A thousand times yes. I've never wanted anything more." A tear slipped from his eyes as he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in.

He pulled the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. The size 6.5 fit perfectly over her long delicate fingers and he drank in the image of her staring at it, twirling it slightly in the light, admiring the shimmers it gave off each time it caught a new stream of light.

"You planned all of this, Jug?" She asked, tears still drying on her cheeks.

"Well, Veronica was a much bigger help than I'd like to give her credit for," he joked. "but yes, I did. I wanted this to be everything you ever dreamed it could be Betty." He admitted softly.

"Oh, Jug. I would have said yes on that dance floor at Archie and Veronica's wedding. I would have said yes if you never even bought me a ring. I would have said yes to you without question no matter how you did this, but thank you, for being so amazing. Jug, I just—" Her words were cut off as he connected their lips once again. He swiped his tongue across her swollen bottom lip, silently asking for permission, before she eagerly granted it and their tongues twisted and tangled around each other.

He pulled her back toward their bed and lightly pushed her down as he tumbled down on top of her. They were both giggling, elated at the events, enjoying their few moments of bliss. No wonder Veronica was so happy all the time, she thought fleetingly before Jughead's mouth moving down the column of her neck silenced her internal monologue.

A moan escaped her lips as he slipped the straps of her dress down her shoulders. Her hands were just as quick and his three-piece suit from the signing earlier soon laid in a pile, along with her ensemble, discarded on the floor. Betty sat up for a second and looked around, breaking their moment and leaving Jughead confused.

She got up and went over to their closet. She was looking for something and Jughead was struck by the sight of her in nothing but a black lacy lingerie set. He was too captivated by the vision to spend much time questioning what she was doing. Betty reached into the back of the closet and pulled out his black tie to hold between the two of him. She sauntered back to the bed and slipped beneath him, tie still in hand.

A mischievous glint in her eye made his cock twitch beneath the thin layers still separating them. He was fully settled over her once more and a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as she raised her eyebrows and tilted her head.

"Is this the same one, Jug?" Her voice was low, sultry, laced with the need consuming her in that moment.

"It is."

They had explored this dynamic with relative frequency since their first time in the Riverdale hotel room months before. It wasn't every time they made love, but often enough to know they both enjoyed it. Sometimes he prompted, sometimes she did, but inevitably they both wound up panting and sated, whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears as they came down from a night of play. Tonight, it appeared, would be no different.

Betty playfully pushed Jughead onto his back and straddled him, pressing her aching core against his obvious erection.

"It's my turn tonight." She whispered in the shell of his ear before sinking her teeth into his lobe eliciting a deep guttural groan from him in response.

Betty had never taken control like this and his cock was throbbing at the notion. He pulled his arms up above his head and let her bind them together as she teasingly ground down on him. Once she tugged on them lightly to ensure they were in place, she brought her hands down to rest on his chest and sunk down onto him without warning. She stayed fully seated for a minute, feeling the delicious stretch of her skin. His chest was heaving already as she slowly circled her hips in lazy figure eight patterns.

"Does that feel good, baby?" She whispered as the agonizingly slow pace of her movements continued.

"God yes." He moaned and she moved a bit more. His arms tugged on the restraints without thinking as his body screamed at him to touch her, to grip her hips, to grind her further into him. Without the use of his hands, he bucked his hips upward, causing her to still.

"Not yet, baby. It's still my turn. Remember, you can look but you can't touch." She leaned down and covered his mouth with hers, swallowing every gasp that escaped as the lethargic pace began to pick up.

Betty could tell it was a sort of sweet, delicious torture to him that she understood all too well. Each time she was bound, each time her hands were restrained, she craved to touch him. Betty wanted Jughead to feel the same craving, like an ember slowly burning from the inside out. Being the one in control awoken something inside of Betty as she gradually began to pick up the pace.

Betty leaned all the way back and gripped the covers by his knees. She was moving with purpose, skillfully and Jughead was simply along for the ride. With each movement, he tugged at the tie wrapped around his wrist. He knew that he was capable of loosening them, he could pull them off if he wanted to, but the façade of control was more important than the actual mechanics of it. So, Jughead tugged lightly, trying not to break out of the binds while simultaneously trying to hold back his release. The way Betty was riding him, grinding her core down to the point he felt her hip bones digging into his own, was driving him wild. Without the use of his hands, Jughead had no control over the situation. He refrained from raising his hips in response to her movements and groaned loudly. He was getting close and he wanted them to climax together. It was always euphoric when their releases timed up perfectly.

"Untie me baby" He groaned.

Betty slowed and sat up straight, connecting their eyes with a smirk playing on the corners of lips. Her movements halted as she leaned forward and rested on her forearms framing either side of his head. Her lips brushed his neck and he groaned loudly in response.

"God Baby, let me touch you." He pleaded again. Betty twisted her neck to face him and raised her eyebrows expectantly. "Please."

Betty's smirk broke into a full on grin and Jughead was struck by her beauty in that moment. Fully bare, hair mussed from the romp and pupils blown wide with desire, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever known and he closed the minimal distance between them, capturing her mouth with his own, claiming her. The kiss was sloppy, rushed, hungry. They were both nearing release before her pause and Jughead craved the feeling of her skin beneath his fingertips.

"Please baby, let me touch you." He breathed against her lips as they were both still panting. Betty began moving slowly again. Jughead was grateful for the change in pace. If she continued at her previous speed, he knew it was going to be impossible to hold off much longer.

Her slow ministrations made Jughead feel as if every nerve ending in his body was aflame. He was already hypersensitive to her touch so as she began moving with intent again, Jughead was relieved when he felt her fingertips skillfully untie the bindings. No sooner than the silk tie fell from his wrists did Jughead pull her down flush against him. He pressed her body into his own and gripped her hips. The last few strokes had them both nearing the edge and without the need for any additional stimulation, they reached their high together.

A while later, they were both still laying in bed, reveling in the heavenly aftermath. Betty slowly traced the birthmarks on his chest in a lazy pattern as Jughead's fingers combed through her tresses.

"Did you really like the book, Betts?" He asked with tentative excitement.

"I love it, Jug, more than you know." She replied simply, honestly.

As they laid in their bed, bodies still buzzing from earlier, Jughead pulled her close. His arm was wrapped around her waist holding her flush against him. They were both still bare, covered in a thin layer of sweat, neither of them caring about the ways their body stuck together, too lost, instead, in the blissful euphoria of the evening.

"Mrs. Jones" He whispered into her hair, placing a soft kiss atop her head.

She looked up at him, pure love shining through her deep green irises and he was entranced.

"I like the sound of that." She leaned up to press her lips softly against his, attempting to convey the gravity of her statement with the fluid motion of their mouths moving against one another. They kissed languidly for a few long moments, neither deepening the exchange, fully satisfied with the heavy air of adoration surrounding them in the blissful moment. There had been plenty of ferocity in their earlier exchanges for a simple kiss to cap off the night. It was a perfect balance of sweet and sexy, sensual and innocent— just like them , he mused.

Veronica was disappointed when they decided to have the ceremony on the rooftop deck at their apartment building. It wasn't the destination wedding she had been pushing for or the grand ordeal hers had been; but Betty and Jughead wanted something entirely their own.

Their guest list was incredibly short, totaling just over a dozen people, and the plans were in place within weeks. Unlike their best friends' wedding, it was a simple ceremony.

Miss Betty Cooper became Missus Betty Jones early that spring in a ceremony attended by only their closest family and friends. Both Betty and Jughead's parents were noticeably absent, but their chosen family was in full attendance.

They wrote their own vows and there wasn't a dry eye on the terrace when they were declared husband and wife. Everyone could see how utterly and irrevocably in love with each other they were.

"Betty Cooper, no amount of words could truly express what you mean to me, so I'll keep it simple. I vow to be the kind of man you deserve. I vow to love you more with each passing day than I did the last. I vow to give you all I have. 'I love you, and that's the beginning and end of everything.' F Scott Fitzgerald said it better than I ever could have. Betty Cooper, you **are** my everything and I vow to prove that on a daily basis."

"'He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.' Wuthering Heights was always one of my favorite books when I was younger. You knew that. So, I thought it only fitting that Emily Bronte's words made their way into my vows. Our souls were made for each other, fitting together like pieces of the same puzzle. You came into my life when we were children and weathered the years with me as a friend. The first time you kissed me, I knew it was over. I wasn't sure you knew it yet, but you were imprinted on my soul that day." No one in the crowd other than the bride and groom understood the moment, but no one needed to—not today—today was about them. Today was about showing Jughead how hopelessly in love with him she was. "I knew the moment your lips touched mine that nothing else would ever feel as right. I vow to grow with you, to build a life with you, to stand by your side and love you without judgement or expectations every single day for the rest of our lives."

–

'Cause all of me

Loves all of you

Love your curves and all your edges

All your perfect imperfections

Jughead held Betty close, slowly swaying to their song. It was Betty's suggestion, of course, but he was incapable of denying her. The first time she serenaded him with the lyrics filling the room, he fell deeper than he ever thought possible.

It was a few weeks after the proposal, the minimal planning nearly complete save for their first dance song. Neither had agreed to a suggestion yet and the song came on the radio. Betty picked up the lyrics on the second line and he lost the battle of wills in an instant. Her voice was magical, sweet and smooth, like honey to his senses. She was singing along in a whisper as he tightened his grip on her delicate frame. The lyrics sounded as if they were written just for them in that instant.

Give your all to me

I'll give my all to you

You're my end and my beginning

Even when I lose I'm winning

Betty wasn't ready for the day to end. The ceremony had been beautiful. Everything about her wedding day had been a dream so far. She was lost in the feeling of Jughead's arms wrapped around her, his steady heartbeat thrumming through his chest as they swayed to the music and enjoyed the moment of serenity.

'Cause I give you all, all of me

And you give me all, all of you

After their less than traditional start, the months following Archie and Veronica's wedding had been better than either of them had ever imagined. As the night dwindled down and they left the reception, Betty knew no matter what happened in the past, her future looked better than ever.


End file.
